打针
to get an injection
dǎzhēn
What does 打针 mean?
打针 (dǎzhēn) is a verb meaning 'to give or receive an injection / a shot.' It is neutral, everyday health vocabulary and is notably ambidirectional: depending on context, 打针 can mean the doctor administering the shot or the patient getting it — 医生给他打针 (the doctor gives him a shot) versus 我要去打针 (I'm going to get a shot). It is a verb-object compound (打 'strike/do' + 针 'needle'), so it cannot take a direct object noun; you say 给他打针, not 打针他.
For the substance, use 打 + drug: 打疫苗 (get a vaccine). English separates 'give a shot' from 'get a shot,' but Chinese leaves 打针 neutral and lets the sentence structure show who does what. 输液 (shūyè, IV drip) is a different procedure.
Character breakdown
to strike; to do (light action verb)
needle
Memory hook: 打 (strike) + 针 (needle) = 'to do the needle' → get a shot.
Example sentences
孩子怕打针，一直在哭。
Háizi pà dǎzhēn, yìzhí zài kū.
The child is scared of shots and keeps crying.
spoken
医生说你需要打一针。
Yīshēng shuō nǐ xūyào dǎ yì zhēn.
The doctor says you need one injection.
neutral
我明天要去医院打针。
Wǒ míngtiān yào qù yīyuàn dǎzhēn.
I'm going to the hospital tomorrow to get a shot.
spoken
打针以后要多喝水，好好休息。
Dǎzhēn yǐhòu yào duō hē shuǐ, hǎohǎo xiūxi.
After the injection, drink plenty of water and rest well.
neutral
Common phrases with 打针
Synonyms
注射 is the formal/medical term 'to inject,' used in clinical writing and by professionals. 打针 is the everyday spoken word for the same thing. Say 打针 to a friend, 注射 in a medical report.
Don't confuse 打针 with
打折 (to give a discount) also starts with 打 but is about shopping prices, not medicine. 打 is a flexible light verb that combines with many nouns.
输液 means 'to receive an IV drip' — fluids over time through a line. 打针 is a quick single injection with a syringe. Chinese hospitals treat them as distinct procedures.
FAQ
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