打炮

dǎpào

verb #31,039

Meanings

1 to fire artillery
2 to set off firecrackers
3 to make one's stage debut
4 (slang, vulgar) to have sex

Characters

to hit; to strike

cannon; firecracker

Examples

前线开始打炮了。

Qiánxiàn kāishǐ dǎpào le.

The front line started firing artillery.

这位演员明晚在国家大剧院打炮。

Zhè wèi yǎnyuán míngwǎn zài Guójiā Dàjùyuàn dǎpào.

This actor will make his debut performance tomorrow night at the National Centre for the Performing Arts.

Tips

register

Three very different registers: (1) military — 'to fire a cannon'; (2) Peking-opera tradition — 打炮戏 is a star's debut performance, a 'cannon-shot' opening to launch a tour; (3) crude slang — 'to have sex', extremely vulgar, do not use in polite company. Context disambiguates, but the slang sense dominates in informal speech, so be careful.

Stroke Order

打 dǎ

炮 pào