打招呼 (dǎ zhāo hu) — to greet (by word or gesture); to give prior no… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

An everyday, casual verb for greeting someone (by word or gesture) or letting them know in advance. Unlike 迎接 (a more formal, written welcome for guests or arrivals), this is what you do on ordinary encounters.

phrase

to greet (by word or gesture)to give prior noticeto let someone know in advance

Examples

打招呼。
Nǐ jiàn dào lǎo shī de shí hou yào dǎ zhāo hu.
You should greet the teacher when you see them.
，。
Wǒ yǐ jīng gēn tā dǎ guò zhāo hu le, míng tiān kě yǐ qǐng jià.
I've already notified him; I can take leave tomorrow.
。
Tā jìn mén qián xiān gēn zhǔ rén dǎ le yí gè zhāo hu.
He greeted the host before entering the door.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

招呼greeting

招zhāobeckon呼hūcall

联合Coordinate

打 supplies the action, while 招 and 呼 together name the greeting.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

扌丁打

Meaning part形符xíngfú

扌Written in full as手shǒuhand

Sound part声符shēngfú

丁

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

打 uses 扌, a hand, to show an action done with the hand, and 丁 to give the sound.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

扌召招

Meaning part形符xíngfú

扌Written in full as手shǒuhand

Sound part声符shēngfú

召

召zhào招zhāo

Same sound today

招 pairs 扌, the hand part, with 召, which gives the sound, to show beckoning with the hand.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

口乎呼

Meaning part形符xíngfú

口口kǒumouth

Sound part声符shēngfú

乎

乎hū呼hū

Same sound today

呼 uses 口 (mouth) to show exhaling, calling, or shouting, and 乎 gives the sound.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 4 HSK 2.0 Level 5 Greetings & Politeness

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