打胎 (dǎ tāi) — to have an abortion, to induce an abortion

Definition

A colloquial verb meaning 'to have an abortion'. Stronger and more direct than the medical/euphemistic 堕胎 (duòtāi), which is more clinical or written.

verb
to have an abortionto induce an abortion

Examples

  • 打胎。
    Tā yīn wèi shēn tǐ yuán yīn bù dé bù dǎ tāi.
    She had to have an abortion for health reasons.
  • 。
    Tā yǐ qián dǎ guò yí cì tāi.
    She has had an abortion once before.
  • 打胎。
    Yī shēng jiàn yì tā bú yào qīng yì dǎ tāi.
    The doctor advised her not to have an abortion lightly.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

打dǎstrike
胎tāifetus

打 (strike) and 胎 (fetus) combine to mean bringing down a fetus.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng打dǎ
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.

Open 打 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
⺼Written in full as肉ròu
Sound part声符shēngfú
台
台tái胎tāi
Same sound today

胎 is formed from ⺼ (written in full as 肉) and 台, which gives the sound.

Open 胎 →

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