Definition
打牌 is a separable verb-object compound (离合词): the verb 打 and the object 牌 can be separated by measure words, durations, or other modifiers, e.g. 打了一场牌 'played a game of cards' or 打了三个小时的牌 'played cards for three hours'. It has two primary senses: the common one of playing cards or mahjong, and a figurative diplomatic or strategic sense of using a certain player or country as leverage (as in 打美国牌 'play the America card'). When separated, never use the ∼ placeholder — write the actual split form instead.
v.o.
to play cards or mahjong(figurative) to use a specific relationship or country as leverage in negotiations or strategy
Examples
- 打牌。Tā zhōumò xǐhuān hé péngyou dǎ pái.He likes to play cards with friends on weekends.
- 。Wǒmen dǎ le yí xiàwǔ de pái.We played cards for the whole afternoon.
- 。Tāmen zài tánpàn zhōng dǎ Měiguó pái.They played the America card in the negotiations.
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