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Chinese vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "to turn on (a light)" in Chinese?
打开
dǎ kāi
In Chinese, "to turn on (a light)" is 打开.
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Pronunciation
Pronounce as dah KAY with falling then flat tones. Both syllables form the basic verb for opening.
Writing and usage
The same two characters used for 'to open'. 打 (ten strokes) with hand radical means to hit or strike. 开 (eight strokes) means to open.
Example sentence
请打开灯。
Please turn on the light.
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How to remember 打开
This is identical to 'to open'. In Chinese, turning on a light uses the same verb as opening a door or box.
Related words
- buy 买 mǎi
- end 告终 gào zhōng
- fly 飞 fēi
- hit 打 dǎ
- make 做 zuò
- stand 站 zhàn
- take off 脱 tuō
- work 工作 gōng zuò
- write 写 xiě
Browse all Chinese words in the glossary.
Questions about 打开
How do you say "to turn on (a light)" in Chinese?
In Chinese, "to turn on (a light)" is 打开. It is a noun.
How is 打开 written in Chinese?
The same two characters used for 'to open'. 打 (ten strokes) with hand radical means to hit or strike. 开 (eight strokes) means to open.
How is 打开 used in a sentence?
Use 打开 as you would use the equivalent noun in English. For example: 请打开灯。 (Please turn on the light.).
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"To turn on (a light)" in other languages
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