dǎfā shíjiān: 打发时间 - To Kill Time, To Pass the Time

• Keywords: dǎfā shíjiān, 打发时间, kill time in Chinese, pass the time in Chinese, what to do when bored in Chinese, Chinese for boredom, dafa shijian meaning, Chinese vocabulary for free time.
• Summary: Learn how to use the essential Chinese phrase 打发时间 (dǎfā shíjiān), which means “to kill time” or “to pass the time.” This page offers a deep dive into its meaning, cultural context, and practical usage with over 10 example sentences. Ideal for beginners, this guide explains how 打发时间 is used in everyday conversation to describe what you do when you're bored or waiting, differentiating it from concepts like “relaxing” or “hobbies.”

• Pinyin (with tone marks): dǎfā shíjiān
• Part of Speech: Verb Phrase
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: To do something to make a period of idle time seem shorter, especially when bored or waiting.
• In a Nutshell: “Dǎfā shíjiān” is the go-to phrase for “killing time.” Think about those moments when you're stuck in a waiting room, on a long bus ride, or have a boring afternoon with nothing planned. The activities you do then—scrolling on your phone, flipping through a magazine, or just staring out the window—are perfect examples of 打发时间. It's less about enjoying a hobby and more about simply getting through a period of inactivity.

• 打 (dǎ): While its primary meaning is “to hit” or “to strike,” in this context, it takes on a more abstract function, similar to “to deal with” or “to handle.”
• 发 (fā): Commonly means “to send out” or “to dispatch.”
• 时 (shí): Means “time” or “hour.”
• 间 (jiān): Means “interval” or “space between.”

When combined, 打发 (dǎfā) literally means “to send away” or “to dismiss.” 时间 (shíjiān) is the standard word for “time.” Therefore, 打发时间 (dǎfā shíjiān) vividly translates to “sending time away” or “dismissing time,” a perfect metaphor for making unwanted, empty time go away.

• In Chinese culture, like any other, dealing with boredom and waiting is a universal experience. The term 打发时间 captures this feeling with a sense of neutral pragmatism. It's not inherently negative, but it does imply that the time being “killed” is not considered valuable or productive.
• Comparison to Western Concepts: In English, we might say “I'm killing time” with a similar neutral-to-negative connotation. However, the Western concept of “leisure” often emphasizes proactive, scheduled activities for personal enrichment or enjoyment (e.g., “I play tennis for leisure”). 打发时间 is distinctly more passive. It's what you do when you don't have a planned leisure activity. It's about enduring emptiness, not actively seeking fulfilling experiences. For instance, you would 打发时间 by playing a simple mobile game while waiting for the subway, but you would 享受爱好 (xiǎngshòu àihào) (enjoy a hobby) when you dedicate a weekend afternoon to painting.
• The phrase is particularly relevant in the hustle and bustle of modern China, where people often face long commutes, queues, and waiting periods. Having simple ways to 打发时间, like watching short videos on Douyin (TikTok) or reading web novels, has become an integral part of daily urban life.

• Formality: Highly informal and conversational. You would use it with friends, family, and colleagues in casual settings. It's not appropriate for formal or academic writing.
• Connotation: Generally neutral, but it can be slightly negative. It suggests the activity is merely a filler and not something you're passionate about. You would never describe your life's passion as a way to 打发时间.
• Common Contexts:
  • Explaining Boredom: “我周末很无聊，只能看电视来打发时间。” (I was so bored this weekend, I could only watch TV to kill time.)
  • Waiting: “等飞机的时候，我通常会看书打发时间。” (When I'm waiting for a flight, I usually read a book to pass the time.)
  • Asking for Suggestions: “我下午没事做，怎么打发时间啊？” (I have nothing to do this afternoon, how should I kill time?)

• Example 1:
  • 周末我没事做，就看看电影打发时间。
  • Pinyin: Zhōumò wǒ méi shì zuò, jiù kànkan diànyǐng dǎfā shíjiān.
  • English: I have nothing to do on the weekend, so I just watch movies to kill time.
  • Analysis: A classic, neutral use of the phrase to describe a low-key, unstructured weekend activity.
• Example 2:
  • 在火车站等车的时候，玩手机是打发时间的好方法。
  • Pinyin: Zài huǒchēzhàn děng chē de shíhou, wán shǒujī shì dǎfā shíjiān de hǎo fāngfǎ.
  • English: Playing on your phone is a good way to pass the time while waiting for the train at the station.
  • Analysis: This sentence frames “killing time” as a practical solution to a common situation (waiting).
• Example 3:
  • 他退休后，每天下棋来打发时间。
  • Pinyin: Tā tuìxiū hòu, měitiān xià qí lái dǎfā shíjiān.
  • English: After he retired, he plays chess every day to pass the time.
  • Analysis: This shows how the phrase can describe a regular, but not necessarily passionate, routine to fill one's days.
• Example 4:
  • A: 你在干嘛呢？ B: 没什么，随便看看书，打发时间而已。
  • Pinyin: A: Nǐ zài gànmá ne? B: Méi shénme, suíbiàn kànkan shū, dǎfā shíjiān éryǐ.
  • English: A: What are you doing? B: Nothing much, just casually reading a book to pass the time.
  • Analysis: The particle 而已 (éryǐ), meaning “that's all” or “just,” emphasizes the casual, unimportant nature of the activity.
• Example 5:
  • 别整天玩游戏打发时间了，你应该找点有意义的事情做。
  • Pinyin: Bié zhěngtiān wán yóuxì dǎfā shíjiān le, nǐ yīnggāi zhǎo diǎn yǒu yìyì de shìqing zuò.
  • English: Stop killing time playing games all day, you should find something meaningful to do.
  • Analysis: This example shows the phrase used in a negative or critical context, contrasting it with “meaningful” activities.
• Example 6:
  • 这本杂志很无聊，只够用来打发时间。
  • Pinyin: Zhè běn zázhì hěn wúliáo, zhǐ gòu yònglái dǎfā shíjiān.
  • English: This magazine is very boring; it's only good enough for killing time.
  • Analysis: Here, 打发时间 is used to describe the low quality or low entertainment value of something.
• Example 7:
  • 在漫长的飞行中，我听音乐来打发时间。
  • Pinyin: Zài màncháng de fēixíng zhōng, wǒ tīng yīnyuè lái dǎfā shíjiān.
  • English: During the long flight, I listened to music to pass the time.
  • Analysis: A perfect example of using an activity to make a long, unavoidable period of waiting more bearable.
• Example 8:
  • 我们离电影开场还有一个小时，怎么打发时间呢？
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen lí diànyǐng kāichǎng hái yǒu yí ge xiǎoshí, zěnme dǎfā shíjiān ne?
  • English: We still have an hour before the movie starts, how should we kill time?
  • Analysis: This shows the phrase used in a question to brainstorm ways to fill a specific block of waiting time.
• Example 9:
  • 他不喜欢社交，宁愿一个人在家打发时间。
  • Pinyin: Tā bù xǐhuān shèjiāo, nìngyuàn yí ge rén zài jiā dǎfā shíjiān.
  • English: He doesn't like socializing; he would rather stay at home alone to pass the time.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses 宁愿 (nìngyuàn), “would rather,” to show a preference for a solitary, time-killing activity over something else.
• Example 10:
  • 老板出差了，我只好在办公室里整理文件打发时间。
  • Pinyin: Lǎobǎn chūchāi le, wǒ zhǐhǎo zài bàngōngshì lǐ zhěnglǐ wénjiàn dǎfā shíjiān.
  • English: The boss is on a business trip, so I have no choice but to organize documents in the office to kill time.
  • Analysis: The phrase 只好 (zhǐhǎo), “to have no choice but to,” highlights the sense of obligation or lack of better options associated with the activity.

• Don't Confuse with “Relaxing” or “Enjoying”: This is the most common pitfall. 打发时间 is for idle time. If you are intentionally doing something for pleasure or relaxation, use other words.
  • Incorrect: 我喜欢跟朋友聊天打发时间。 (I like chatting with friends to kill time.)
  • Why it's wrong: This sounds like you find chatting with your friends a boring, mindless task. It's almost insulting.
  • Correct: 我喜欢跟朋友聊天放松一下 (Wǒ xǐhuān gēn péngyou liáotiān fàngsōng yíxià - I like chatting with friends to relax a bit) or 我享受和朋友聊天的时间 (Wǒ xiǎngshòu hé péngyou liáotiān de shíjiān - I enjoy the time I spend chatting with friends).
• The Activity is Trivialized: Using 打发时间 implies the activity is not very important or engaging.
  • Incorrect: 我正在写我的博士论文来打发时间。 (I'm writing my PhD thesis to kill time.)
  • Why it's wrong: This is nonsensical unless you're being extremely sarcastic. Writing a thesis is a serious, demanding task.
  • Correct: You would simply say 我在写博士论文 (Wǒ zài xiě bóshì lùnwén - I am writing my PhD thesis).
• Separate Meaning of “打发 (dǎfā)”: Be aware that 打发 by itself can mean “to dismiss someone,” “to send someone away,” or “to get rid of someone,” often in a perfunctory or brusque manner.
  • Example: 他给我二十块钱，想把我打发走。 (Tā gěi wǒ èrshí kuài qián, xiǎng bǎ wǒ dǎfā zǒu. - He gave me 20 RMB, trying to send me away/get rid of me.)
  • This is a different usage from 打发时间, but it comes from the same root meaning of “dispatching” or “sending away.”

• 无聊 (wúliáo): Bored; boring. This is the feeling that prompts you to find a way to 打发时间.
• 消磨时间 (xiāomó shíjiān): To while away time. A very close synonym of 打发时间, literally meaning “to wear away/grind away time.” It is often used interchangeably.
• 闲逛 (xiánguàng): To stroll, to wander idly, to ramble. A common activity one might do to 打发时间.
• 发呆 (fādāi): To be in a daze, to stare into space. Perhaps the most passive way to 打发时间 when you have nothing at all to do.
• 放松 (fàngsōng): To relax. This is an intentional, positive action for well-being, whereas 打发时间 is a more neutral way to cope with idleness.
• 娱乐 (yúlè): Entertainment, amusement. Entertainment is a common tool used to 打发时间.
• 空闲时间 (kòngxián shíjiān): Free time, spare time. This is the “time” that you are trying to “kill” or “pass.”
• 虚度光阴 (xūdù guāngyīn): To waste time (idiom). This is a much more negative and literary term than 打发时间. It implies that one is squandering their precious life and time.