‘挡风’ literally means ‘to block wind’ — 挡 (dǎng) means ‘to block, shield, or ward off’, and 风 (fēng) means ‘wind’. Together, it functions primarily as an adjective meaning ‘windproof’ (e.g., a windproof jacket) or as a verb meaning ‘to shield from wind’ (e.g., using a wall to block the wind). It’s commonly used in descriptions of clothing, vehicles, architecture, and everyday objects designed for wind protection.

The term appears frequently in compound nouns like 挡风玻璃 (dǎng fēng bō li, windshield) and 挡风衣 (dǎng fēng yī, windbreaker). Unlike standalone verbs such as 阻挡 (zǔ dǎng, to obstruct), 挡风 is more specific to wind resistance and often carries a functional, practical connotation — emphasizing utility rather than force or opposition. It rarely appears alone as a full verb phrase without context or a noun complement.