dǎjī: 打击 - To Strike, Hit, Attack; To Deal a Blow To, To Crack Down On

• Keywords: daji, da ji, 打击, 打击 meaning, what does daji mean, Chinese verb for strike, Chinese for attack, crack down on, deal a blow to, demoralize, Chinese HSK 4 vocabulary
• Summary: Learn the powerful Chinese word 打击 (dǎjī), which means much more than a simple “hit.” This versatile verb is used to describe everything from a physical or military strike to the government's efforts to crack down on crime. Metaphorically, it's essential for expressing how a setback can deal a blow to someone's confidence or how criticism can demoralize a person. Understanding 打击 (dǎjī) is key to reading Chinese news and grasping nuanced conversations about challenges and authority.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): dǎjī
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: 4
• Concise Definition: To strike, hit, or attack; often used metaphorically to mean cracking down on something or dealing a blow to someone's morale.
• In a Nutshell: While 打击 (dǎjī) can mean a physical strike, its real power lies in its metaphorical uses. Think of it as an impactful, forceful action that has a significant negative effect. It’s the word you use when the government “cracks down on” corruption, when bad news “deals a blow to” the economy, or when harsh words “crush” someone's spirit. It carries a much heavier weight than the simple English word “hit.”

• 打 (dǎ): This is one of the most common characters in Chinese, and its core meaning is “to hit” or “to strike.” The radical on the left, 扌, is a variation of 手 (shǒu), meaning “hand,” indicating an action performed with the hand.
• 击 (jī): This character also means “to hit,” “to strike,” or “to attack.” It often implies a more focused or aggressive action than 打. The character itself depicts a hand (手) hitting an object.

Combining 打 (dǎ) and 击 (jī) creates a compound word that is stronger and more formal than either character alone. It elevates a simple “hit” to a purposeful “strike” or “attack,” emphasizing the force and intent behind the action.

In Chinese culture, particularly in official and media contexts, 打击 (dǎjī) is a cornerstone word for expressing state authority and the resolve to maintain social order (稳定, wěndìng). The government frequently announces campaigns to 打击 various social ills, such as 打击犯罪 (dǎjī fànzuì) - “crack down on crime,” or 打击腐败 (dǎjī fǔbài) - “crack down on corruption.” A useful comparison in Western culture is the phrase “the war on…” (e.g., “the war on drugs”). Both 打击 and “the war on…” frame a societal problem as an enemy to be decisively defeated by a powerful authority. This reflects a top-down approach to governance, where the state takes strong, visible action to eliminate threats to stability and public good. Using 打击 signals seriousness, determination, and the full force of the entity performing the action. It's a word of power.

打击 is used across various domains, almost always with a serious and negative connotation.

• Government, Law, and Media: This is its most frequent context. It describes official campaigns and policies.
  • e.g., 打击非法出版物 (dǎjī fēifǎ chūbǎnwù) - to crack down on illegal publications.
• Business and Competition: It can be used to describe aggressive business tactics.
  • e.g., 新产品打击了我们的销售 (xīn chǎnpǐn dǎjīle wǒmen de xiāoshòu) - The new product dealt a blow to our sales.
• Personal and Emotional Contexts: This is a very common metaphorical use, referring to psychological or emotional blows.
  • e.g., 他的话深深地打击了我 (tā de huà shēnshēn de dǎjīle wǒ) - His words deeply hurt (dealt a blow to) me.

• Example 1:
  • 政府决定打击网络犯罪。
  • Pinyin: Zhèngfǔ juédìng dǎjī wǎngluò fànzuì.
  • English: The government has decided to crack down on cybercrime.
  • Analysis: This is the classic, official usage of 打击, referring to a state-led campaign against illegal activity. It's formal and serious.
• Example 2:
  • 这次失败对他的自信心是一个很大的打击。
  • Pinyin: Zhè cì shībài duì tā de zìxìnxīn shì yī ge hěn dà de dǎjī.
  • English: This failure was a huge blow to his self-confidence.
  • Analysis: Here, 打击 is used as a noun to mean “a blow” or “a hit” in an emotional sense. The structure “对…是一个打击” (duì… shì yī ge dǎjī) is very common.
• Example 3:
  • 你不应该用这种方式打击孩子的积极性。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ bù yìnggāi yòng zhè zhǒng fāngshì dǎjī háizi de jījíxìng.
  • English: You shouldn't discourage the child's enthusiasm in this way.
  • Analysis: This shows the “demoralize” or “discourage” meaning. It implies that the action (perhaps harsh criticism) is crushing the child's motivation.
• Example 4:
  • 经济危机打击了全球市场。
  • Pinyin: Jīngjì wēijī dǎjīle quánqiú shìchǎng.
  • English: The economic crisis hit the global market hard.
  • Analysis: A perfect example of 打击 used for large-scale, impersonal forces. It means the crisis had a severe, negative impact.
• Example 5:
  • 军队成功打击了敌人的军事基地。
  • Pinyin: Jūnduì chénggōng dǎjīle dírén de jūnshì jīdì.
  • English: The army successfully struck the enemy's military base.
  • Analysis: This is a literal, military use of the word, meaning “to strike” or “to attack.”
• Example 6:
  • 公司的目标是打击市场上的所有仿冒品。
  • Pinyin: Gōngsī de mùbiāo shì dǎjī shìchǎng shàng de suǒyǒu fǎngmàopǐn.
  • English: The company's goal is to crack down on all counterfeit products in the market.
  • Analysis: This shows 打击 in a business context, referring to a determined campaign against something that harms the company.
• Example 7:
  • 他被这个坏消息打击得一蹶不振。
  • Pinyin: Tā bèi zhè ge huài xiāoxi dǎjī de yījuébùzhèn.
  • English: He was so devastated by the bad news that he couldn't recover.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses the passive voice with 被 (bèi). “被…打击” (bèi… dǎjī) means “to be struck/hit by…” and is often followed by a description of the result. 一蹶不振 (yījuébùzhèn) is an idiom for “unable to recover after a setback.”
• Example 8:
  • 作为老师，我们应该鼓励学生，而不是打击他们。
  • Pinyin: Zuòwéi lǎoshī, wǒmen yīnggāi gǔlì xuéshēng, ér búshì dǎjī tāmen.
  • English: As teachers, we should encourage students, not put them down.
  • Analysis: This sentence contrasts 打击 with its opposite, 鼓励 (gǔlì - to encourage), highlighting its meaning of “to demoralize” or “to dishearten.”
• Example 9:
  • 严厉的批评也是一种打击。
  • Pinyin: Yánlì de pīpíng yěshì yī zhǒng dǎjī.
  • English: Harsh criticism is also a kind of blow.
  • Analysis: Again, 打击 is used as a noun to classify an action (criticism) as a type of emotional attack.
• Example 10:
  • 为了打击竞争对手，他们降低了价格。
  • Pinyin: Wèile dǎjī jìngzhēng duìshǒu, tāmen jiàngdīle jiàgé.
  • English: In order to hit their competitors, they lowered their prices.
  • Analysis: A common business strategy context. It frames competition as a battle where one side tries to land a “blow” on the other.

• 打击 (dǎjī) vs. 打 (dǎ): This is the most critical distinction for a learner.
  • 打 (dǎ) is a general, common verb for “to hit,” “to beat,” “to play (a ball),” or “to make (a phone call).” It's used in everyday, neutral situations. (e.g., 打电话 dǎ diànhuà - make a call; 打篮球 dǎ lánqiú - play basketball).
  • 打击 (dǎjī) is stronger, more formal, and almost always negative. It implies a forceful, often strategic, action meant to harm, defeat, or demoralize.
  • Incorrect Usage: “I hit my friend yesterday.” → 昨天我打击了我的朋友 (Zuótiān wǒ dǎjīle wǒ de péngyou.) (WRONG). This sounds like you launched a strategic campaign to ruin your friend's life.
  • Correct Usage: “I hit my friend yesterday.” → 昨天我打了我的朋友 (Zuótiān wǒ dǎle wǒ de péngyou.) (CORRECT). This simply means you physically hit them.
• Not Just a Physical Hit: The biggest mistake is thinking 打击 only means a physical strike. In modern Chinese, the metaphorical meanings (“deal a blow to,” “crack down on”) are far more common. Always consider the context; if it's about news, policy, emotions, or business, it's almost certainly metaphorical.

• 攻击 (gōngjī) - To attack. More direct and aggressive than 打击, often used in a military or verbal assault context.
• 袭击 (xíjī) - To raid; a surprise attack. More specific than 攻击, emphasizing the element of surprise.
• 打压 (dǎyā) - To suppress; to stifle. Similar to 打击, but focuses more on holding something down or preventing it from developing, rather than a direct strike.
• 批评 (pīpíng) - To criticize. A verbal action that, if harsh enough, can be a form of 打击.
• 挫折 (cuòzhé) - A setback; frustration (noun). This is often the *result* a person feels after experiencing a 打击.
• 报复 (bàofù) - To retaliate; to get revenge. An action one might take in response to a 打击.
• 制裁 (zhìcái) - To sanction. A very formal, official type of 打击, usually enacted by a state or international body against another state.