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搭子

dāzi
noun

Meanings

  1. 1 activity buddy; niche-interest partner (someone you pair up with for one specific activity, without deeper friendship)
  2. 2 e.g. 饭搭子 lunch buddy, 旅游搭子 travel buddy, 健身搭子 gym buddy

Examples

HSK 2
我找了一个饭搭子，每天一起吃午饭。
Wǒ zhǎo le yíge fàn dāzi, měitiān yìqǐ chī wǔfàn.
I found a lunch buddy to eat with every day.
HSK 4
周末有没有人想当我的爬山搭子?
Zhōumò yǒuméiyǒu rén xiǎng dāng wǒ de páshān dāzi?
Anyone want to be my hiking buddy this weekend?
HSK 5
搭子比朋友轻，比陌生人熟。
Dāzi bǐ péngyou qīng, bǐ mòshēngrén shú.
A 'buddy' is lighter than a friend, more familiar than a stranger.

Tips

culture
From Shanghai dialect for mahjong partners (牌搭子). Spread nationally on Xiaohongshu in 2023 as young urbanites, moving cities often and short on deep bonds, sought 'precision companionship' - one person per activity, no wider social obligation. Sociologists linked it to work mobility, atomization and friendship fatigue. Named a 2023 Top 10 buzzword by 《咬文嚼字》.
usage
Always takes a modifier: 饭搭子 (meal), 旅游搭子 (travel), 健身搭子 (gym), 上班搭子 (work), 考研搭子 (grad-exam prep). Pairing with a verb: 找搭子 'look for a buddy.'

Stroke Order

搭 dā
子 zǐ