How to Say “Beat” in Chinese? 打 Da, 揍 Zou, 打败 Dabai in Mandarin
Chinese Verbs – Beat | 打 Da, 揍 Zou and 打败 Dabai in Mandarin
Beat in Chinese has several meanings just like English. We will focus on five ways of saying Beat in Chinese.
① Offensive: Beat in Chinese – 打 Dǎ
There are two words to say Beat in Chinese. The first word is 打 Dǎ. It means beating someone up, hitting or assaulting someone as an offensive gesture.
Beating someone up is wrong.
打人是不对的。
Dǎ rén shì bù duì de.
You are wrong to hit someone.
你打人就不对了。
Nǐ dǎ rén jiù bù duì le.
Don’t talk nonsense. I did not assault him.
别胡说！我没有打他！
Bié hú shuō! Wǒ méi yǒu dǎ tā!
If you say again, do you believe I will beat you?
你再说，你信不信我打你？
Nǐ zài shuō, nǐ xìn bù xìn wǒ dǎ nǐ?
He talked to you in such a manner, I feel like beating him up.
他那么对你说话，我刚才真的很想打他。
Tā nà me duì nǐ shuō huà, wǒ gāng cái zhēn de hěn xiǎng dǎ tā.
I disapprove of beating children as a teaching method.
我不赞成打孩子的教导方式。
Wǒ bù zàn chéng dá hái zi de jiào dǎo fāng shì.
② Offensive: Beat in Chinese – 揍 Zòu
The other aggressive way to say Beat in Chinese is 揍 Zòu which also means trash. A Chinese who uses the word 揍 Zòu is usually feeling angry or relieving their anger by wanting to beat a person up. Sometimes, we also use this word in a joking manner to our friend when they say something unpleasant to us, just like the second sentence below.
He deserves a good thrashing for saying such things.
他说这番话真是欠揍。
Tā shuō zhè fān huà zhēn shi qiàn zòu.
You dare to say I am fat! Do you want a thrashing?
你敢说我肥！你是不是想挨揍？
Nǐ gǎn shuō wǒ féi! Nǐ shì bù shì xiǎng āi zòu?
When I saw that look of him just now, I really feel like giving him a hard thrashing.
我刚才看到他那张嘴脸，真的很想狠狠揍他一顿。
Wǒ gāng cái kàn dào tā nà zhāng zuǐ liǎn, zhēn de hěn xiǎng hěn hěn zòu tā yī dùn.
③ Yummy: Beat an Egg – 打 Dǎ
Yummy! Coincidentally, beating an egg in English is a direct translation in Mandarin using the word 打鸡蛋 Dǎ jīdàn.
How many eggs do you want me to beat?
你要我打几粒鸡蛋？
Nǐ yào wǒ dǎ jǐ lì jī dàn?
Beat four eggs for me.
给我打四粒鸡蛋。
Gěi wǒ dǎ sì lì jī dàn.
I like to add an egg to the instant noodle and break it up. Especially delicious!
我喜欢加一粒鸡蛋在泡面里打散。特别美味！
Wǒ xǐ huān jiā yī lì jī dàn zài pào miàn lǐ dǎ sàn. Tè bié měi wèi!
④ Triumph: Beat in Chinese 击败 Jíbài or 打败 Dǎbài
During a competition, if you beat someone in a game, it means you defeat a person. You can use either 击败 Jíbài or 打败 Dǎbài in a sentence.
Our country has defeated China in the badminton game.
我国在羽毛球赛中打败了中国。
Wǒ guó zài yǔ máo qiú sài zhōng dǎ bài le zhōng guó.
In World Cup 2014, Germany defeated Argentina and became the world number one (world champion).
在2014年的世界杯中，德国击败了阿根廷，成了世界第一。
Zài 2014 nián de shì jiè bēi zhōng, dé guó jí bài le ā gēn tíng, chéng le shì jiè dì yī.
In World War II, which countries were defeated by Germany?
在第二世界大战中，哪些国家被德国打败了？
Zài dì èr shì jiè dà zhàn zhōng, nǎ xiē guó jiā bèi dé guó dǎ bài le?
⑤ Hitting on Surface: Beat in Chinese – 敲打 Qiāodǎ
A little irritation here when someone is tapping on the table making unwanted noises. 敲打 Qiāodǎ means hitting something on the surface.
Do not keep hitting on the table. Very noisy.
不要一直敲打桌子，很吵。
Bù yào yī zhí qiāo dǎ zhuō zi, hěn chǎo.
Who is hitting on my window?
是谁在敲打我窗？
Shì shéi zài qiāodǎ wǒ chuāng?
When eating with the Chinese people, do not use your chopsticks to hit on the bowl and plate. Do you know why?
与华人用餐时，不能用筷子敲打碗盆。你知道为什么吗？
Yǔ huá rén yòng cān shí, bù néng yòng kuài zi qiāo dǎ wǎn pén. Nǐ zhī dào wèi shé me ma?
- 是谁在敲打我窗？Shì shéi zài qiāodǎ wǒ chuāng?
“Who is hitting on my window?” It is the first-line lyric from a famous old Chinese song – 被遗忘的时光 Bèi Yíwàng de Shíguāng (Forgotten Times) sang by a renowned Taiwanese singer 蔡琴 Càiqín released in 1979, well-known for her low sexy voice.
This song is very soothing to hear especially at night which makes it one of the best Chinese oldies around. Listen to it!
- 为什么不能用筷子敲打碗盆？Wèishéme bùnéng yòng kuàizi qiāodǎ wǎn pén?
Why can’t one hit the chopsticks on the bowl and plate? While waiting for the food to come, children especially have a habit of doing that when they are bored.
There is a Chinese taboo that hitting the bowl with chopstick associates one with a beggar. Only a beggar will do that. The parents will stop their children from developing this habit for fear of them becoming poor in future, if not a beggar.
You have learned five ways to say the word Beat in Mandarin. Refer to the Chinese Verbs list for other words.
