‘打字’ literally means ‘to strike characters’ — ‘打’ (dǎ) means ‘to hit’ or ‘to strike’, and ‘字’ (zì) means ‘character’ or ‘letter’. Together, they form a verb meaning ‘to type’ on a keyboard, whether on a computer, smartphone, or typewriter. It emphasizes the physical action of pressing keys to input text.

This word is used in everyday contexts involving digital communication, office work, study, or online activity. It’s neutral in register — appropriate for both casual conversation and formal settings — and commonly appears in sentences describing skill level (e.g., ‘打字很快’), tasks (e.g., ‘正在打字’), or learning (e.g., ‘练习打字’). Unlike English ‘typing’, 打字 does not refer to handwriting or voice input; it specifically denotes keyboard-based text entry.