====== dǎfā shíjiān: 打发时间 - To Kill Time, To Pass the Time ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **Keywords:** dǎfā shíjiān, 打发时间, kill time in Chinese, pass the time in Chinese, what to do when bored in Chinese, Chinese for boredom, dafa shijian meaning, Chinese vocabulary for free time.
  * **Summary:** Learn how to use the essential Chinese phrase **打发时间 (dǎfā shíjiān)**, which means "to kill time" or "to pass the time." This page offers a deep dive into its meaning, cultural context, and practical usage with over 10 example sentences. Ideal for beginners, this guide explains how **打发时间** is used in everyday conversation to describe what you do when you're bored or waiting, differentiating it from concepts like "relaxing" or "hobbies."
===== Core Meaning =====
  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** dǎfā shíjiān
  * **Part of Speech:** Verb Phrase
  * **HSK Level:** HSK 4
  * **Concise Definition:** To do something to make a period of idle time seem shorter, especially when bored or waiting.
  * **In a Nutshell:** "Dǎfā shíjiān" is the go-to phrase for "killing time." Think about those moments when you're stuck in a waiting room, on a long bus ride, or have a boring afternoon with nothing planned. The activities you do then—scrolling on your phone, flipping through a magazine, or just staring out the window—are perfect examples of 打发时间. It's less about enjoying a hobby and more about simply getting through a period of inactivity.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **打 (dǎ):** While its primary meaning is "to hit" or "to strike," in this context, it takes on a more abstract function, similar to "to deal with" or "to handle."
  * **发 (fā):** Commonly means "to send out" or "to dispatch."
  * **时 (shí):** Means "time" or "hour."
  * **间 (jiān):** Means "interval" or "space between."
When combined, **打发 (dǎfā)** literally means "to send away" or "to dismiss." **时间 (shíjiān)** is the standard word for "time." Therefore, **打发时间 (dǎfā shíjiān)** vividly translates to "sending time away" or "dismissing time," a perfect metaphor for making unwanted, empty time go away.
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
  * In Chinese culture, like any other, dealing with boredom and waiting is a universal experience. The term **打发时间** captures this feeling with a sense of neutral pragmatism. It's not inherently negative, but it does imply that the time being "killed" is not considered valuable or productive.
  * **Comparison to Western Concepts:** In English, we might say "I'm killing time" with a similar neutral-to-negative connotation. However, the Western concept of "leisure" often emphasizes proactive, scheduled activities for personal enrichment or enjoyment (e.g., "I play tennis for leisure"). **打发时间** is distinctly more passive. It's what you do when you //don't// have a planned leisure activity. It's about enduring emptiness, not actively seeking fulfilling experiences. For instance, you would **打发时间** by playing a simple mobile game while waiting for the subway, but you would **享受爱好 (xiǎngshòu àihào)** (enjoy a hobby) when you dedicate a weekend afternoon to painting.
  * The phrase is particularly relevant in the hustle and bustle of modern China, where people often face long commutes, queues, and waiting periods. Having simple ways to **打发时间**, like watching short videos on Douyin (TikTok) or reading web novels, has become an integral part of daily urban life.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
  * **Formality:** Highly informal and conversational. You would use it with friends, family, and colleagues in casual settings. It's not appropriate for formal or academic writing.
  * **Connotation:** Generally neutral, but it can be slightly negative. It suggests the activity is merely a filler and not something you're passionate about. You would never describe your life's passion as a way to **打发时间**.
  * **Common Contexts:**
    *   **Explaining Boredom:** "我周末很无聊，只能看电视来**打发时间**。" (I was so bored this weekend, I could only watch TV to kill time.)
    *   **Waiting:** "等飞机的时候，我通常会看书**打发时间**。" (When I'm waiting for a flight, I usually read a book to pass the time.)
    *   **Asking for Suggestions:** "我下午没事做，怎么**打发时间**啊？" (I have nothing to do this afternoon, how should I kill time?)
===== Example Sentences =====
  * **Example 1:**
    * 周末我没事做，就看看电影**打发时间**。
    * Pinyin: Zhōumò wǒ méi shì zuò, jiù kànkan diànyǐng **dǎfā shíjiān**.
    * English: I have nothing to do on the weekend, so I just watch movies to kill time.
    * Analysis: A classic, neutral use of the phrase to describe a low-key, unstructured weekend activity.
  * **Example 2:**
    * 在火车站等车的时候，玩手机是**打发时间**的好方法。
    * Pinyin: Zài huǒchēzhàn děng chē de shíhou, wán shǒujī shì **dǎfā shíjiān** de hǎo fāngfǎ.
    * English: Playing on your phone is a good way to pass the time while waiting for the train at the station.
    * Analysis: This sentence frames "killing time" as a practical solution to a common situation (waiting).
  * **Example 3:**
    * 他退休后，每天下棋来**打发时间**。
    * Pinyin: Tā tuìxiū hòu, měitiān xià qí lái **dǎfā shíjiān**.
    * English: After he retired, he plays chess every day to pass the time.
    * Analysis: This shows how the phrase can describe a regular, but not necessarily passionate, routine to fill one's days.
  * **Example 4:**
    * A: 你在干嘛呢？ B: 没什么，随便看看书，**打发时间**而已。
    * Pinyin: A: Nǐ zài gànmá ne? B: Méi shénme, suíbiàn kànkan shū, **dǎfā shíjiān** éryǐ.
    * English: A: What are you doing? B: Nothing much, just casually reading a book to pass the time.
    * Analysis: The particle **而已 (éryǐ)**, meaning "that's all" or "just," emphasizes the casual, unimportant nature of the activity.
  * **Example 5:**
    * 别整天玩游戏**打发时间**了，你应该找点有意义的事情做。
    * Pinyin: Bié zhěngtiān wán yóuxì **dǎfā shíjiān** le, nǐ yīnggāi zhǎo diǎn yǒu yìyì de shìqing zuò.
    * English: Stop killing time playing games all day, you should find something meaningful to do.
    * Analysis: This example shows the phrase used in a negative or critical context, contrasting it with "meaningful" activities.
  * **Example 6:**
    * 这本杂志很无聊，只够用来**打发时间**。
    * Pinyin: Zhè běn zázhì hěn wúliáo, zhǐ gòu yònglái **dǎfā shíjiān**.
    * English: This magazine is very boring; it's only good enough for killing time.
    * Analysis: Here, **打发时间** is used to describe the low quality or low entertainment value of something.
  * **Example 7:**
    * 在漫长的飞行中，我听音乐来**打发时间**。
    * Pinyin: Zài màncháng de fēixíng zhōng, wǒ tīng yīnyuè lái **dǎfā shíjiān**.
    * English: During the long flight, I listened to music to pass the time.
    * Analysis: A perfect example of using an activity to make a long, unavoidable period of waiting more bearable.
  * **Example 8:**
    * 我们离电影开场还有一个小时，怎么**打发时间**呢？
    * Pinyin: Wǒmen lí diànyǐng kāichǎng hái yǒu yí ge xiǎoshí, zěnme **dǎfā shíjiān** ne?
    * English: We still have an hour before the movie starts, how should we kill time?
    * Analysis: This shows the phrase used in a question to brainstorm ways to fill a specific block of waiting time.
  * **Example 9:**
    * 他不喜欢社交，宁愿一个人在家**打发时间**。
    * Pinyin: Tā bù xǐhuān shèjiāo, nìngyuàn yí ge rén zài jiā **dǎfā shíjiān**.
    * English: He doesn't like socializing; he would rather stay at home alone to pass the time.
    * Analysis: This sentence uses **宁愿 (nìngyuàn)**, "would rather," to show a preference for a solitary, time-killing activity over something else.
  * **Example 10:**
    * 老板出差了，我只好在办公室里整理文件**打发时间**。
    * Pinyin: Lǎobǎn chūchāi le, wǒ zhǐhǎo zài bàngōngshì lǐ zhěnglǐ wénjiàn **dǎfā shíjiān**.
    * English: The boss is on a business trip, so I have no choice but to organize documents in the office to kill time.
    * Analysis: The phrase **只好 (zhǐhǎo)**, "to have no choice but to," highlights the sense of obligation or lack of better options associated with the activity.
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
  * **Don't Confuse with "Relaxing" or "Enjoying":** This is the most common pitfall. **打发时间** is for idle time. If you are intentionally doing something for pleasure or relaxation, use other words.
    *   **Incorrect:** 我喜欢跟朋友聊天**打发时间**。 (I like chatting with friends to kill time.)
    *   **Why it's wrong:** This sounds like you find chatting with your friends a boring, mindless task. It's almost insulting.
    *   **Correct:** 我喜欢跟朋友聊天**放松一下** (Wǒ xǐhuān gēn péngyou liáotiān **fàngsōng yíxià** - I like chatting with friends to relax a bit) or 我**享受**和朋友聊天的时间 (Wǒ **xiǎngshòu** hé péngyou liáotiān de shíjiān - I **enjoy** the time I spend chatting with friends).
  * **The Activity is Trivialized:** Using **打发时间** implies the activity is not very important or engaging.
    *   **Incorrect:** 我正在写我的博士论文来**打发时间**。 (I'm writing my PhD thesis to kill time.)
    *   **Why it's wrong:** This is nonsensical unless you're being extremely sarcastic. Writing a thesis is a serious, demanding task.
    *   **Correct:** You would simply say 我在写博士论文 (Wǒ zài xiě bóshì lùnwén - I am writing my PhD thesis).
  * **Separate Meaning of "打发 (dǎfā)":** Be aware that **打发** by itself can mean "to dismiss someone," "to send someone away," or "to get rid of someone," often in a perfunctory or brusque manner.
    *   **Example:** 他给我二十块钱，想把我**打发**走。 (Tā gěi wǒ èrshí kuài qián, xiǎng bǎ wǒ **dǎfā** zǒu. - He gave me 20 RMB, trying to send me away/get rid of me.)
    *   This is a different usage from **打发时间**, but it comes from the same root meaning of "dispatching" or "sending away."
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  * **[[无聊]] (wúliáo):** Bored; boring. This is the feeling that prompts you to find a way to **打发时间**.
  * **[[消磨时间]] (xiāomó shíjiān):** To while away time. A very close synonym of **打发时间**, literally meaning "to wear away/grind away time." It is often used interchangeably.
  * **[[闲逛]] (xiánguàng):** To stroll, to wander idly, to ramble. A common activity one might do to **打发时间**.
  * **[[发呆]] (fādāi):** To be in a daze, to stare into space. Perhaps the most passive way to **打发时间** when you have nothing at all to do.
  * **[[放松]] (fàngsōng):** To relax. This is an intentional, positive action for well-being, whereas **打发时间** is a more neutral way to cope with idleness.
  * **[[娱乐]] (yúlè):** Entertainment, amusement. Entertainment is a common tool used to **打发时间**.
  * **[[空闲时间]] (kòngxián shíjiān):** Free time, spare time. This is the "time" that you are trying to "kill" or "pass."
  * **[[虚度光阴]] (xūdù guāngyīn):** To waste time (idiom). This is a much more negative and literary term than **打发时间**. It implies that one is squandering their precious life and time.