打游戏
dǎ yóuxì
The English phrase 'playing video games' is expressed in Chinese as 打游戏 (dǎ yóuxì).
In modern colloquial Chinese, 打游戏 almost always refers specifically to playing video games, even though the word 游戏 can mean any kind of game.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a verb-object construction composed of the verb 打 (dǎ), meaning 'to hit' or 'to play' and the noun 游戏 (yóuxì), meaning 'game'.
Which one should you use?
While 打游戏 is a common way to say this, 玩游戏 (wán yóuxì) is a common alternative that uses the verb 玩 (wán), meaning 'to play' or 'to have fun'. For a more specific description of the action occurring right now, you might use 正在玩电子游戏, which means 'currently playing video games'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some regions, people may say 打电子游戏 instead of 玩电子游戏.
How does it change in a sentence?
As a verb-object construction, you can insert a duration or frequency between the verb and the object. For example, 打了一小时游戏 means 'played games for one hour'.
How do you pronounce it?
dǎ yóuxì
Did you know?
- In Chinese internet slang, people often use the word 肝 (gān), meaning 'liver', as a verb for gaming. This refers to 'grinding' in a game by staying up all night, which is traditionally believed to damage the liver.
- In Chinese internet slang, you might hear people say they are 'eating chicken' (吃鸡, chī jī) to mean they are playing a battle royale game like PUBG.
- While 打游戏 is common, gamers often use the term 开黑 (kāi hēi) to describe playing games specifically with a coordinated team of friends.
Examples in context
- 他喜欢玩电子游戏。He enjoys playing video games.
- 他每天晚上都喜欢和朋友打游戏。He likes to play video games with his friends every night.
- 我们今晚一起去玩游戏吧！Let's play video games together tonight!
- 他在打游戏。Tā zài dǎ yóuxì.He is playing video games.
- 我不喜欢打游戏。Wǒ bù xǐhuān dǎ yóuxì.I don't like playing video games.
- 弟弟正在房间里打游戏。Dìdi zhèngzài fángjiān lǐ dǎ yóuxì.Little brother is playing video games in his room.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking on the phone about weekend plans.
- 梓涵 Zihan俊杰，你在做什么？Jùnjié, nǐ zài zuò shénme?Junjie, what are you doing?
- 俊杰 Junjie我正在打游戏。Wǒ zhèngzài dǎ yóuxì.I am playing video games.
- 梓涵 Zihan你什么时候有空？Nǐ shénme shíhou yǒu kòng?When will you be free?
- 俊杰 Junjie打完这一局就好了。Dǎ wán zhè yī jú jiù hǎole.I'll be free after this round.
