English–Chinese
“strike up a conversation” in Chinese
Chinese
Pronunciation
Pinyindā shàn
Example
他在街上搭讪那位女孩。tā zài jiē shàng dā shàn nà wèi nǚ hái
He struck up a conversation with that girl on the street.
How to say “strike up a conversation” in Chinese
“Strike up a conversation” in Chinese is 搭讪 (dā shàn).
A tentative verbal approach that tests whether a stranger will welcome further contact.
Example sentences with 搭讪
他在酒吧试着向她搭讪。tā zài jiǔ bā shì zhe xiàng tā dā shàn
He tried to strike up a conversation with her at the bar.
Tips for using 搭讪
- In everyday Chinese, this word can sound mildly judgmental when describing someone else's approach, suggesting that the person is being forward rather than simply friendly.