西安春天公园散步和天气聊天

What does “打伞 (da san)” mean in Chinese?

Strolling through a sunny Xi’an park, the host muses about 打伞 (dǎ sǎn), putting up an umbrella. Two things surprise learners. First, the verb is 打 (dǎ), not 拿 (carry) or 用 (use): you 打伞. Second, she notes that in China people 打伞 on bright, sunny days too, for 防晒 (fángshài), sun protection, not just in the rain.

That little verb 打 is one of Chinese’s busiest words, far beyond “to hit”: 打电话 (make a phone call), 打车 (hail a taxi), 打水 (fetch water), 打篮球 (play basketball). The clip is gentle A2 Mandarin and also shows young people in 汉服 (hànfú), traditional dress, posing among the spring blossoms.