Meaning of 打断
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to interrupt
- to break off
- to break (a bone)
How to use 打断
打断 is most often used for cutting into someone's speech or an activity, and it can also mean literally breaking something like a bone or a stick. The person interrupted usually comes right after the verb. Example: 请不要打断我。(Qǐng bú yào dǎduàn wǒ.) Please don't interrupt me.
打 (dǎ) means to hit and 断 (duàn) means broken or cut off. Picture someone hitting a stick until it snaps in two, the same way a rude remark snaps a conversation in half.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes write 断 with the similar-looking 继 (jì, to continue), which means nearly the opposite. Also keep the tones straight: third tone dǎ followed by fourth tone duàn, not duǎn as in 短 (duǎn, short).
打断 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
打 dǎ · to hit · 5 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
断 duàn · to break · 11 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
Related words
Words that share a character with 打断.
| 打电话 | dǎ diànhuà | to make a telephone call |
| 打开 | dǎkāi | to open; to show (a ticket) |
| 打球 | dǎ qiú | to play a ball sport |
| 打车 | dǎchē | to take a taxi (in town); to hitch a lift |
| 打算 | dǎsuàn | to plan; to intend |
| 打工 | dǎgōng | to work a temporary or casual job; (of students) to have a job outside of class time, or d |
| 打印 | dǎyìn | to affix a seal; to stamp |
| 不断 | bùduàn | unceasing; uninterrupted |
| 打破 | dǎpò | to break; to smash |
| 判断 | pànduàn | to judge; to determine; judgment |
| 打听 | dǎting | to ask about; to make some inquiries |
| 打败 | dǎbài | to defeat; to overpower |
Questions about 打断
What does 打断 mean?
打断 (dǎduàn) means "to interrupt; to break off" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 打断?
打断 is made of 2 characters: 打 (5 strokes), 断 (11 strokes). That is 16 strokes in total.
Is 打断 an HSK word?
Yes. 打断 is on the HSK 6 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 打断 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 打断 is written 打斷.
How do I politely say sorry for interrupting in Chinese?
You can say 不好意思，打断一下 (bù hǎoyìsi, dǎduàn yíxià), which means excuse me for interrupting. It is a common, polite way to cut in during a meeting or conversation.
Can 打断 be used for breaking a bone?
Yes. For example, 他的腿被打断了 (tā de tuǐ bèi dǎduàn le) means his leg was broken, usually by a blow. It suggests force from hitting, so for a fall you would more often use 摔断 (shuāiduàn).