跳舞 means 'to dance' — it's a compound verb formed by combining 跳 (tiào), meaning 'to jump' or 'to leap', and 舞 (wǔ), meaning 'dance' or 'to dance'. Together, they emphasize the physical, rhythmic movement involved in dancing. Unlike some verbs that require aspect particles, 跳舞 is commonly used with aspect markers like 了 (le), 过 (guò), or 着 (zhe) to indicate completion, experience, or ongoing action.

This verb is neutral in register and widely used across contexts — from casual social dancing at parties to formal ballet or traditional Chinese dance performances. It can be used transitively (with an object) when specifying the type of dance, e.g., 跳华尔兹 (tiào huá'ěrzī, 'to dance the waltz'), but most often appears intransitively. It’s frequently paired with time expressions (e.g., 每天, 昨晚) or modal verbs (e.g., 想、喜欢、会) to express intention, habit, or ability.