打雪仗 (dǎ xuě zhàng) — to have a snowball fight

Definition

打雪仗 is a verb-object phrase (离合词) meaning 'to have a snowball fight.' The object 雪仗 can be split out for measure words: 打一场雪仗, 打过雪仗.

verb
to have a snowball fight

Examples

  • 打雪仗。
    Hái zi men zài gōng yuán lǐ dǎ xuě zhàng.
    The children are having a snowball fight in the park.
  • ，。
    Wǒ men zuó tiān dǎ le yì chǎng xuě zhàng, tè bié kāi xīn.
    We had a snowball fight yesterday and had a great time.
  • ？
    Nǐ yǐ qián dǎ guò xuě zhàng ma?
    Have you ever had a snowball fight before?

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

打dǎfight
雪仗snow fight
雪xuěsnow仗zhàngfight
偏正Modifier + head

打 expresses fighting, while 雪仗 names a snow fight.

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
雨雨yǔrain
Sound part声符shēngfú
彗
彗huì雪xuě
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

雪 pairs 雨, showing rain, with 彗, giving the sound.

Open 雪 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 仗 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.