p8nda
p8nda BETA
Home Dictionary Translate Flashcards Sign in

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

我找了一个饭搭子,每天一起吃午饭。
Wǒ zhǎo le yí ge fàndāzi, měitiān yìqǐ chī wǔfàn.
I found a lunch buddy to eat with every day.
周末有没有人想当我的爬山搭子?
Zhōumò yǒu méi yǒu rén xiǎng dāng wǒ de páshān dāzi?
Anyone want to be my hiking buddy this weekend?
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