HSK 1 · Phones & media

打电话

dǎ diàn huà

to make a phone call

Stroke order of 打电话

3 characters, 18 strokes in total. Watch the animation, then try writing it yourself.

打 · 5 strokes 电 · 5 strokes 话 · 8 strokes

Memory trick

A hand "扌" taps "打" the electric "电" box to send words "话": make a phone call.

Parts: 打 hit (扌 hand + 丁 nail) + 电 electric + 话 words

The characters in 打电话

打 dǎ — to hit; to play (a sport) (5 strokes)
电 diàn — electricity (5 strokes)
话 huà — words; speech (8 strokes)

Example sentence

我想给妈妈打电话。

I want to call my mom.

Words with 打

打车to take a taxi 打开to open; to turn on 打球to play ball 打to hit; to play (a sport)打印to print 打工to do odd jobs; to work part-time 打算to plan; plan 打篮球to play basketball 打听to ask about 打破to break 打扫to clean; to sweep

Words with 电

电electricity 电话telephone 电脑computer 电视television 电视机TV set 电影movie; film 电影院cinema 电视剧TV series 电视台TV station 电台radio station 电子邮件email 电梯elevator; lift

Words with 话

话words; speech 说话to speak; to talk 电话telephone 笑话joke; to laugh at 笑话儿joke 普通话Mandarin 对话dialogue; conversation 讲话to speak; speech 的话if (at end of clause)谈话to have a talk; conversation 话剧stage play 话题topic of conversation

More words: Phones & media

电electricity 电话telephone 手机mobile phone 电脑computer 电视television 电视机TV set 上网to go online 网上online 网友online friend 电影movie; film 电影院cinema

Learn to write it by hand

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