打电话 (dǎ diànhuà)

打电话 is a verb-object phrase meaning "to make a phone call." 打 (to hit/do) is used with many communication and activity verbs in Chinese: 打电话 (phone call), 打篮球 (play basketball), 打招呼 (greet). The person you call is introduced with 给 (gěi): 给他打电话 (call him).

Meanings

[verb phrase] To make a phone call; to call someone. Used for initiating a telephone conversation.

Example Sentences

我可以用你的手机打电话吗？ Wǒ kěyǐ yòng nǐ de shǒujī dǎ diànhuà ma? May I use your phone to make a call?

他刚才给我打电话了。 Tā gāngcái gěi wǒ dǎ diànhuà le. He called me just now.

如果有问题，请给我打电话。 Rúguǒ yǒu wèntí, qǐng gěi wǒ dǎ diànhuà. If there is a problem, please call me.

我每天晚上都给父母打电话。 Wǒ měitiān wǎnshang dōu gěi fùmǔ dǎ diànhuà. I call my parents every evening.

Collocations

Collocation	Meaning
给...打电话 (gěi...dǎ diànhuà)	to call someone
接电话 (jiē diànhuà)	to answer the phone
挂电话 (guà diànhuà)	to hang up the phone
打错电话 (dǎ cuò diànhuà)	to call the wrong number
手机打电话 (shǒujī dǎ diànhuà)	to call by mobile phone

Memory Hook

打 literally means "to hit" or "to do." In Chinese, you "hit" a phone call just like you "hit" a game of basketball. Whenever you take action to start something physical or communicative, you use 打.