dǎjiāodào: 打交道 - To Deal With, To Interact With, To Have Dealings With

• Keywords: dajiaodao meaning, da jiao dao, 打交道, Chinese to deal with people, how to use 打交道, interacting with in Chinese, Chinese business interactions, Chinese for networking, 打交道 vs 沟通, HSK 4 vocabulary
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese verb 打交道 (dǎjiāodào), which means “to deal with,” “to interact with,” or “to have dealings with.” This page provides a deep dive into its meaning, cultural significance, and practical usage in everyday conversation, business, and bureaucracy. Understand how it's different from “communicating” (`沟通`) and how it's a key skill for navigating interpersonal relationships (`人际关系`) in China. With 10 practical example sentences, you'll master how to talk about your interactions with people and organizations.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): dǎ jiāo dào
• Part of Speech: Verb-Object Phrase (often functions as a single verb)
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: To have dealings with, interact with, or come into contact with a person or organization.
• In a Nutshell: `打交道` is the go-to term for describing the entire process of social or professional engagement. It's not just about talking; it's about the back-and-forth, the negotiation, and the maintenance of a relationship. Think of it as navigating the “path” of interaction, whether you're dealing with a friendly colleague, a difficult government office, or a new business client. It captures the action of managing relationships.

• 打 (dǎ): While its base meaning is “to hit” or “to strike,” in many modern words, `打` acts as a versatile prefix meaning “to engage in” or “to do.” Think of it like “to make” in “to make a call” (`打电话 dǎ diànhuà`) or “to play” in “to play basketball” (`打篮球 dǎ lánqiú`). Here, it sets the stage for an action.
• 交 (jiāo): This character means “to cross,” “to exchange,” or “to hand over.” It implies a two-way, mutual process. It's the core of words like “communication” (`交流 jiāoliú`) and “traffic” (`交通 jiāotōng`).
• 道 (dào): This rich character means “path,” “way,” or “road.” It's the same “Dao” as in “Daoism” (`道教 Dàojiào`), representing a principle or a way of doing things.

By combining them, `打(engage in) + 交(exchange) + 道(the way/path)`, you get the vivid meaning of “engaging in the path of mutual exchange.” It's the art of navigating the pathways of human interaction.

• `打交道` is a cornerstone of social life in China because it is the primary action through which one builds and maintains `关系 (guānxi)`. While `关系` refers to your network of relationships, `打交道` is the process of interacting within that network.
• Comparison to “Dealing With”: In English, “to deal with” can often carry a negative connotation, implying a chore or a problem (e.g., “I have to deal with my noisy neighbors”). `打交道` is fundamentally neutral. The context determines the feeling. Saying someone is `很难打交道 (hěn nán dǎjiāodào)` means they are “difficult to deal with,” while saying they `很会打交道 (hěn huì dǎjiāodào)` is a high compliment, meaning they are socially skilled and adept at handling people.
• Social Skill: Being good at `打交道` is considered an essential life skill. It reflects social intelligence, adaptability, and an understanding of social norms. It’s less about deep friendship and more about functional, effective, and harmonious interaction in society.

`打交道` is an extremely common term used in a wide variety of contexts. The structure is almost always `跟 (gēn) / 和 (hé) + Person/Organization + 打交道`.

• Dealing with People: You use it to describe your interactions with colleagues, clients, officials, neighbors, or any specific type of person.
  • e.g., 跟政府官员打交道需要有耐心。
  • (gēn zhèngfǔ guānyuán dǎjiāodào xūyào yǒu nàixīn.)
  • Dealing with government officials requires patience.
• Dealing with Organizations: It's also used for interacting with entities like banks, companies, schools, or government bureaus.
  • e.g., 为了办签证，我跟大使馆打了一个星期的交道。
  • (wèile bàn qiānzhèng, wǒ gēn dàshǐguǎn dǎle yí ge xīngqī de jiāodào.)
  • To get my visa, I dealt with the embassy for a week.
• Connotation & Formality: The term itself is neutral and standard, suitable for both formal reports and casual chats. Adjectives like `好 (hǎo)`, `难 (nán)`, `容易 (róngyì)` are added to give it a positive or negative flavor.

• Example 1:
  • 他是个商人，很会跟各种各样的人打交道。
  • Pinyin: Tā shì ge shāngrén, hěn huì gēn gèzhǒng gèyàng de rén dǎjiāodào.
  • English: He's a businessman and is very good at dealing with all sorts of people.
  • Analysis: This is a compliment. `很会 (hěn huì)` means “to be very good at,” highlighting that `打交道` is a skill.
• Example 2:
  • 我们公司跟那家公司打交道很多年了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen gōngsī gēn nà jiā gōngsī dǎjiāodào hěn duō nián le.
  • English: Our company has had dealings with that company for many years.
  • Analysis: This is a neutral statement of fact, describing a long-term business relationship.
• Example 3:
  • 那个客户特别挑剔，很难打交道。
  • Pinyin: Nàge kèhù tèbié tiāotī, hěn nán dǎjiāodào.
  • English: That client is particularly picky and very difficult to deal with.
  • Analysis: Here, the adjective `难 (nán)` gives the phrase a clearly negative meaning. Notice how `打交道` can be combined with `难` to form a compound adjective.
• Example 4:
  • 作为老师，你每天都要跟孩子和家长打交道。
  • Pinyin: Zuòwéi lǎoshī, nǐ měitiān dōu yào gēn háizi hé jiāzhǎng dǎjiāodào.
  • English: As a teacher, you have to interact with children and parents every day.
  • Analysis: This describes the routine interactions that are part of a job. It's a neutral, descriptive use.
• Example 5:
  • 我不太喜欢跟政府部门打交道，手续太复杂了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ bú tài xǐhuān gēn zhèngfǔ bùmén dǎjiāodào, shǒuxù tài fùzá le.
  • English: I don't really like dealing with government departments; the procedures are too complicated.
  • Analysis: This example shows the term being used for interacting with a bureaucracy, a very common scenario.
• Example 6:
  • 你需要学会如何跟银行打交道来申请贷款。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ xūyào xuéhuì rúhé gēn yínháng dǎjiāodào lái shēnqǐng dàikuǎn.
  • English: You need to learn how to deal with the bank to apply for a loan.
  • Analysis: This frames `打交道` as a necessary skill for achieving a specific goal (getting a loan).
• Example 7:
  • 这是我第一次跟外国人打交道，有点紧张。
  • Pinyin: Zhè shì wǒ dì yī cì gēn wàiguórén dǎjiāodào, yǒudiǎn jǐnzhāng.
  • English: This is my first time interacting with a foreigner, I'm a little nervous.
  • Analysis: A perfect sentence for a learner to use. It describes the general experience of interacting with a group of people.
• Example 8:
  • 他这个人性格内向，不善于跟人打交道。
  • Pinyin: Tā zhège rén xìnggé nèixiàng, bú shànyú gēn rén dǎjiāodào.
  • English: He is an introvert and is not good at dealing with people.
  • Analysis: `不善于 (bú shànyú)` is a more formal way of saying “not good at.” This shows `打交道` being used to describe a personality trait.
• Example 9:
  • 在中国做生意，你必须了解如何跟当地人打交道的文化。
  • Pinyin: Zài Zhōngguó zuò shēngyì, nǐ bìxū liǎojiě rúhé gēn dāngdìrén dǎjiāodào de wénhuà.
  • English: To do business in China, you must understand the culture of how to interact with local people.
  • Analysis: This highlights the cultural dimension of the term, connecting the action to cultural understanding.
• Example 10:
  • 我宁愿多花点钱，也不想跟他们打交道。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ nìngyuàn duō huā diǎn qián, yě bùxiǎng gēn tāmen dǎjiāodào.
  • English: I would rather spend more money than have dealings with them.
  • Analysis: This strong statement shows how avoiding the act of `打交道` can be a goal in itself if the other party is unpleasant.

• `打交道` vs. `沟通 (gōutōng)` - “To Deal With” vs. “To Communicate”
  • This is the most common point of confusion. `沟通 (gōutōng)` focuses specifically on the exchange of information and meaning. `打交道` is the entire process of interaction, which includes `沟通` but also involves building rapport, negotiating, handling procedures, and managing the relationship.
  • Think of it this way: You might `沟通` very well with your boss (you understand each other), but they might still be `难打交道` (difficult to deal with) because they give you too much work. Communication is just one part of the overall interaction.
• `打交道` vs. `见面 (jiànmiàn)` - “To Deal With” vs. “To Meet”
  • Learners sometimes mistakenly use `打交道` for a single meeting. `见面 (jiànmiàn)` is for a single, specific event of meeting face-to-face. `打交道` implies a process, a series of interactions, or an ongoing relationship.
  • Correct: `我明天要跟一个新客户见面。` (I'm going to meet a new client tomorrow.)
  • Less Natural: `我明天要跟一个新客户打交道。` (This implies tomorrow is the start of a whole process of dealing with them, not just a single meeting.)
• Grammar Pitfall: Forgetting `跟 (gēn)` or `和 (hé)`
  • `打交道` is a verb-object phrase, so it cannot take another object directly. You must use a preposition like `跟 (gēn)` or `和 (hé)` to introduce the person/organization you are dealing with.
  • Incorrect: `我打交道那个公司。` (I deal with that company.)
  • Correct: `我跟那个公司打交道。` (I deal with that company.)

• 关系 (guānxi) - The network of social connections and influence. `打交道` is the action you take to build and maintain your `关系`.
• 沟通 (gōutōng) - To communicate. A key component and tool used when you `打交道`.
• 交流 (jiāoliú) - To exchange (ideas, culture, information). A specific type of interaction, often focused on mutual learning.
• 来往 (láiwǎng) - To have contact or dealings with; to associate with. Similar to `打交道`, but can imply a more established social back-and-forth between equals.
• 联系 (liánxì) - To contact; to get in touch. This is often the first step in the process of `打交道`.
• 应酬 (yìngchou) - Socializing for professional or obligatory reasons (e.g., business dinners). A very specific, often formal, type of `打交道`.
• 处理 (chǔlǐ) - To handle, to manage, to process (a problem, a task). This is task-oriented, whereas `打交道` is relationship-oriented. You `处理` a request, but you `打交道` with the person who made the request.
• 人际关系 (rénjì guānxì) - Interpersonal relationships. This is the broad field of social dynamics where being good at `打交道` is a critical skill.