鞭打 (biān dǎ) — to whip, to lash, to flog

Definition

To strike repeatedly with a whip, emphasizing the physical beating rather than the tool itself. Stronger and more violent than 打, with a literary or historical tone — common in writing about punishment, slavery, or animal handling.

verb
to whipto lashto flog

Examples

  • ，鞭打。
    Tā zuò cuò liǎo shì, bèi fù qīn biān dǎ le.
    He did something wrong and was whipped by his father.
  • 鞭打。
    Nóng mín biān dǎ bù tīng huà de niú.
    The farmer whipped the disobedient cow.
  • ，鞭打。
    Zài gǔ dài, tǒng zhì zhě jīng cháng biān dǎ nú lì.
    In ancient times, rulers often flogged slaves.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

鞭biānwhip
打dǎstrike

鞭 as whip and 打 as strike combine to mean strike with a whip.

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
革革géleather
Sound part声符shēngfú
便
便biàn鞭biān
Same sound today

鞭 pairs 革, meaning leather, with 便, which gives the sound.

Open 鞭 →

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 →

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