Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== dǎ rén: 打人 - To Hit/Strike a Person, Assault ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** da ren, dǎ rén, 打人, what does da ren mean, Chinese for hitting someone, assault in Chinese, battery in Chinese, to beat someone Chinese, is hitting people illegal in China, Chinese verb for strike. * **Summary:** Learn the crucial Chinese term **打人 (dǎ rén)**, which directly translates to "to hit a person." This entry explores its serious legal and social implications, going beyond a simple translation to cover its use in warnings, accusations, and discussions about violence in modern China. Understand the cultural importance of avoiding physical conflict and discover related terms like `打架 (dǎjià)` (to fight) and `欺负 (qīfu)` (to bully). ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** dǎ rén * **Part of Speech:** Verb-Object Phrase * **HSK Level:** N/A (Composed of HSK 1 characters: 打 and 人) * **Concise Definition:** To physically strike, hit, or beat a person. * **In a Nutshell:** **打人 (dǎ rén)** is a direct and unambiguous term for physical assault. It's not a neutral descriptor; it carries a strong negative connotation of aggression, wrongdoing, and illegality. While composed of two very simple characters, the phrase itself is a serious accusation and a significant social taboo in Chinese culture. ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **打 (dǎ):** The character 打 is one of the most common verbs in Chinese. Its left side, the radical 扌(shǒu), is a compressed form of 手 (shǒu), meaning "hand." This tells you the action is done with the hands. The right side provides the sound. By itself, 打 means "to hit, to strike, to beat." * **人 (rén):** This character is a simple pictogram of a person walking, seen from the side. It is one of the first characters any learner encounters and simply means "person, people, or human." Putting them together, **打人 (dǎ rén)** forms a "verb-object" phrase that literally means "to hit a person." It's so common that it functions almost like a single verb in sentences. ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== Physical violence, especially in public, is a major breach of social order in Chinese culture. The act of **打人 (dǎ rén)** is seen not just as a physical act but as a profound disruption of social **和谐 (héxié) - harmony**. Compared to the Western legal terms "assault" or "battery," **打人 (dǎ rén)** carries a similar weight but is more focused on the social shame involved. Getting into a physical fight can cause immense **丢脸 (diūliǎn) - loss of face** for everyone involved. It suggests a lack of self-control and civilization. For this reason, public arguments often remain verbal, with both sides aware that escalating to physical contact (**动手 - dòngshǒu**) crosses a major line. Furthermore, **打人 (dǎ rén)** is a crime. Chinese law has specific provisions against assault, and public security cameras are ubiquitous, meaning that acts of **打人** are often recorded and lead to legal consequences, from fines to detention. The phrase **"打人是犯法的" (dǎ rén shì fànfǎ de) - "Hitting people is illegal"** is a concept taught from a young age. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== **打人 (dǎ rén)** is used in very direct and serious contexts. * **As a Warning:** It's frequently used to de-escalate a situation. People will shout "**别打人！ (bié dǎ rén!)**" - "Don't hit him/her!" * **As an Accusation:** A person, especially a child, might run to an authority figure and yell, "**他打人！ (tā dǎ rén!)**" - "He hit me!" or "He is hitting people!" This is a direct call for intervention. * **In News and Legal Reports:** Media reports on altercations, domestic violence, or brawls will use **打人** as the standard term for the act of physical assault. * **In Exaggerated Joking:** Among close friends, one might say jokingly, "**你再开这种玩笑我就要打人了啊！ (nǐ zài kāi zhè zhǒng wánxiào wǒ jiù yào dǎ rén le a!)**" - "If you make that kind of joke again, I'm gonna hit someone!" The context and tone make it clear that it's not a real threat. ===== Example Sentences ===== **Example 1:** * 老师，他**打人**！ * Pinyin: Lǎoshī, tā **dǎ rén**! * English: Teacher, he hit me! * Analysis: A classic example of a child reporting another child's transgression. It's a direct and serious accusation. **Example 2:** * 在任何情况下，**打人**都是不对的。 * Pinyin: Zài rènhé qíngkuàng xià, **dǎ rén** dōu shì bùduì de. * English: Under any circumstances, hitting people is wrong. * Analysis: Here, **打人** acts as the subject of the sentence, treated as a general concept. This is a common way to state a moral or legal principle. **Example 3:** * 你为什么**打人**？快跟他道歉！ * Pinyin: Nǐ wèishéme **dǎ rén**? Kuài gēn tā dàoqiàn! * English: Why did you hit him? Apologize to him right now! * Analysis: A typical sentence an adult would use to scold someone who has just hit another person. It demands an immediate reason and remedy. **Example 4:** * 在中国，**打人**是犯法的，警察会管的。 * Pinyin: Zài Zhōngguó, **dǎ rén** shì fànfǎ de, jǐngchá huì guǎn de. * English: In China, hitting people is illegal; the police will get involved. * Analysis: This sentence clearly states the legal reality in China. Note the use of **会管 (huì guǎn)**, which means "will manage" or "will handle it." **Example 5:** * 他们先是吵架，后来其中一个就开始**打人**了。 * Pinyin: Tāmen xiān shì chǎojià, hòulái qízhōng yīgè jiù kāishǐ **dǎ rén** le. * English: First they were arguing, and then one of them started hitting the other. * Analysis: This shows the common progression from a verbal conflict (**吵架 - chǎojià**) to a physical one (**打人**). **Example 6:** * 他喝醉了以后喜欢**打人**，非常危险。 * Pinyin: Tā hē zuìle yǐhòu xǐhuān **dǎ rén**, fēicháng wēixiǎn. * English: He likes to hit people after he gets drunk; it's very dangerous. * Analysis: This describes a person's dangerous tendency or habit. **Example 7:** * 我只是轻轻推了他一下，我没有**打人**。 * Pinyin: Wǒ zhǐshì qīng qīng tuīle tā yīxià, wǒ méiyǒu **dǎ rén**. * English: I just gave him a light push, I didn't hit him. * Analysis: This shows a person trying to downplay their actions by denying the serious accusation of **打人**. It highlights the severity of the term. **Example 8:** * 不管你多生气，都不能动手**打人**。 * Pinyin: Bùguǎn nǐ duō shēngqì, dōu bùnéng dòngshǒu **dǎ rén**. * English: No matter how angry you are, you must not resort to hitting people. * Analysis: This example includes the related term **动手 (dòngshǒu)**, which means "to raise a hand" or "to start a physical fight." The phrase **动手打人** is a very common and emphatic collocation. **Example 9:** * 那个视频里**打人**的男子已经被抓住了。 * Pinyin: Nàge shìpín lǐ **dǎ rén** de nánzǐ yǐjīng bèi zhuāzhù le. * English: The man who was hitting people in that video has already been caught. * Analysis: A very common sentence structure seen in news reports. Here, **打人** modifies "man" (**男子**), functioning like an adjective: "the hitting-person man." **Example 10:** * 如果有人**打人**，你应该马上报警。 * Pinyin: Rúguǒ yǒurén **dǎ rén**, nǐ yīnggāi mǎshàng bàojǐng. * English: If someone is hitting people, you should call the police immediately. * Analysis: Practical advice that reinforces the illegality of the act and the proper response. ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== * **Not Just Any "Hitting":** A common mistake for learners is to overuse **打 (dǎ)**. While `dǎ` can mean "to hit," **打人** is specifically about hitting a *person*. You wouldn't use it for "hitting a ball" (**打球 - dǎ qiú**) or "hitting a keyboard" (**打字 - dǎ zì**). The object **人 (rén)** is what gives the phrase its specific, serious meaning. * **Severity:** Do not underestimate the weight of this term. In English, saying "He hit me" can range from a playful tap to a serious assault. **他打人 (tā dǎ rén)** is almost always a serious accusation implying malicious, illegal violence. Using it lightly can cause major misunderstandings. * **打人 (dǎ rén) vs. 打架 (dǎjià):** These are easily confused. * **打人 (dǎ rén)** often implies a one-sided action: an aggressor hitting a victim. * **打架 (dǎjià)** means "to fight" and implies a mutual struggle or brawl between two or more people. If you say "他们打架了 (tāmen dǎjià le)," it means "They got into a fight." If you say "他打人了 (tā dǎ rén le)," it means "He assaulted someone." ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * [[打架]] (dǎjià) - To fight. Implies a mutual physical conflict, whereas `打人` can be one-sided. * [[动手]] (dòngshǒu) - Literally "to move hand"; means to start a physical fight or to lay a hand on someone. Often used in warnings, e.g., "君子动口不动手" (A gentleman uses his words, not his fists). * [[欺负]] (qīfu) - To bully or to pick on. This is a broader term that can include physical acts like `打人`, but also verbal abuse, social exclusion, and taking advantage of someone weaker. * [[暴力]] (bàolì) - Violence. A more formal and abstract noun. `家庭暴力 (jiātíng bàolì)` is "domestic violence." * [[吵架]] (chǎojià) - To quarrel or argue verbally. The common precursor to `打架` or `打人`. * [[犯法]] (fànfǎ) - To break the law. Hitting people (`打人`) is a form of `犯法`. * [[警察]] (jǐngchá) - Police. The people you should call (`报警 - bàojǐng`) when you witness `打人`. * [[和谐]] (héxié) - Harmony. The core social value that public violence disrupts. * [[丢脸]] (diūliǎn) - To lose face. A major social consequence for those who resort to fighting in public.