打扰
to disturb; to bother
dǎrǎo
What does 打扰 mean?
打扰 (dǎrǎo) is a verb meaning 'to disturb, bother, or intrude on' someone — to break into their time, quiet, or work. Its most important use for learners is as a politeness formula: 打扰一下 ('excuse me / sorry to bother you') is how you flag a stranger before asking a question, and 不打扰了 ('I won't take up more of your time') is a graceful way to end a visit or call. It can also describe real disruption: 别打扰他学习 (don't disturb his studying).
Unlike English 'bother,' 打扰 is inherently courteous and self-deprecating — you use it about yourself to soften an imposition, so 我打扰你了 means 'I'm sorry I've intruded.' It is transitive: you 打扰 a person, not a thing.
Note: 打扰 is a politeness staple. 打扰一下 opens a request to a stranger, and 不打扰了 politely closes a visit or phone call.
Character breakdown
to strike; to do (light action verb)
to disturb; to trouble
Memory hook: 打 (do) + 扰 (disturb) = 'to do a disturbing' → to bother someone.
Example sentences
打扰一下，请问银行怎么走？
Dǎrǎo yíxià, qǐng wèn yínháng zěnme zǒu?
Excuse me, how do I get to the bank?
polite
他在睡觉，我们别打扰他。
Tā zài shuìjiào, wǒmen bié dǎrǎo tā.
He's sleeping, let's not disturb him.
spoken
时间不早了，我就不打扰了。
Shíjiān bù zǎo le, wǒ jiù bù dǎrǎo le.
It's getting late, I won't take up more of your time.
polite
对不起，打扰您工作了。
Duìbuqǐ, dǎrǎo nín gōngzuò le.
Sorry to have interrupted your work.
polite
Common phrases with 打扰
Synonyms
麻烦 means 'to trouble someone (with a request)' and often precedes asking a favor: 麻烦你帮我... 打扰 focuses on intruding into someone's time or peace, especially interrupting them.
干扰 is more technical/formal — 'to interfere with' (a signal, a process, an experiment). 打扰 is the everyday, human, polite word for bothering a person.
Don't confuse 打扰 with
FAQ
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