彈 (dàn) - To shoot & to spring

彈Tone 4

dàn ｜ 15 strokes ｜ radical:

橙丁

彈 · dàn

To shoot;

to spring;

to bounce;

to play (a stringed instrument);

to flick;

to fluff;

to bounce;

to catapult;

to impeach;

also refers to a bullet, bomb, or pellet.

To shootto springto bounce

Usage highlights

Play pianoBounce backGuided missileBulletSpringImpeach

Synonyms

  • 射— to shoot
  • 奏— to play (music)
  • 跳— to jump, bounce

Antonyms

  • 接— to catch, receive
  • 停— to stop

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He can play the guitar (弹吉他).
  • The ball bounced high (球弹得很高).
  • They launched a missile (他们发射了导弹).
  • She flicked the dust off her coat (她弹掉外套上的灰尘).
  • The prosecutor impeached the official (检察官弹劾了那位官员).

Collocations

  • Play piano(弹钢琴)
  • Bounce back(反弹)
  • Guided missile(导弹)
  • Bullet(子弹)
  • Spring(弹簧)
  • Impeach(弹劾)

Idioms

  • To have one's heart in one's mouth(心惊胆弹)
  • Old tune rehashed(老调重弹)
  • To impeach and dismiss(弹射臧否)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character combines the 'bow' radical (弓) with semantic and phonetic elements, reflecting its original meaning related to projectile weapons.
  • In traditional Chinese music, '弹' is specifically used for playing stringed instruments like the guzheng and pipa.
  • The term appears in political contexts like '弹劾' (impeachment), showing its extended meaning of 'launching an accusation'.

FAQ