打电话

dǎ diàn huà

HSK 2.0 Level 1 HSK 3.0 Level 1 Verb Very common

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Definitions

1. to make a telephone call

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Word relationships

Register variants

1 item

• 拨打 bō dǎ 拨打 bō dǎ to call formal term for dialing: to call

Related words

2 items

• 来电 lái diàn 来电 lái diàn incoming telephone call (or telegram) related verb for receiving a call: incoming telephone call (or telegram)
• 通话 tōng huà 通话 tōng huà to talk over the telephone to converse by phone: to talk over the telephone

Synonyms

1 item

• 通话 tōng huà 通话 tōng huà to talk over the telephone 更正式的表达: to talk over the telephone

Usage notes

Common mistakes

Make sure to use the measure word '通' or '个' for phone calls, e.g., '打一通电话' or '打个电话'.

Cultural notes

When answering the phone in China, it's common to say '喂 (wèi)' before speaking, similar to saying 'hello'.

Grammar

Guides that feature 打电话

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1 guide

HSK 2.0 Level 1+ HSK 3.0 Level 1+ 5 min

喂 for “Hello?” on the Phone

Use 喂 to answer or start a phone call, and to call out “hey” to get attention.

Reading: dǎ diàn huà Open guide

Example Sentences

5 shown

我今天晚上给你 打电话 。

I will call you tonight.

走廊里有人在 打电话 。

Someone is making a phone call in the corridor.

我每天给妈妈 打电话 。

I call my mom every day.

祝你一路顺风，到了给我 打电话 。

Wish you a pleasant journey, and call me when you arrive.

他在公共场所肆无忌惮地大声 打电话 。

He was making a phone call loudly in public without any restraint.

AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.

Child Words of 打电话

• 打 打 dá: dozen (loanword)
• 打 打 dǎ: to beat
• 话 话 huà: dialect
• 电 电 diàn: lightning
• 电话 电话 diàn huà: telephone