è ma? Xiān chī diǎn dàngāo dàng diǎnxīn ba. Are you hungry? Have some cake for a snack.
dàn 诞 TRAD 誕 V be born
dànchén 诞辰 [modif: 诞 be born + 辰 time] N (of great men and women) birthday ■ 十二月二十 五日
是耶稣基督的诞辰。Shí'èryuè èrshí wǔ rì shì Yēsū Jīdū de dànchén. December 25 is the birthday
of Jesus Christ.
dànshēng 诞生 [comp: 诞 be born + 生 be born] V be born
dàn 弹 TRAD 彈 N bullet (See zǐdàn 子弹.)
dāng 当¹ TRAD 當 PREP at the time of, when ■ 当他 赶到火车站，火车已经开走了。Dāng tā gǎndào
huǒchēzhàn, huǒchē yǐjīng kāizǒu le. When he hurried to the railway station, the train had already
left.
dāng 当² TRAD 當 V work as, serve as ■ “你长大 了想当什么?”“我想当医生。”“Nǐ zhǎngdàle
xiǎng dāng shénme?” “Wǒ xiǎng dāng yīshēng.” “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
“I’d like to be a doctor.”
dāng ...
de shíhou 当 ... 的时候 CONJ when ... ■ 当我在工作的时候，不希望别人来打扰 我。Dāng wǒ zài
gōngzuò de shíhou, bù xīwàng biérén lái dǎrǎo wǒ. When I am working, I don’t want to be
disturbed. ■ 当我认识她的时候，她正在 一家医院当护士。Dāng wǒ rènshi tā de shíhou, tā
zhèngzài yì jiā yīyuàn dāng hùshi. When I came to know her, she was working as a nurse in a
hospital.
NOTE: 当 dāng may be omitted, especially colloqui-ally, e.g. 我在工作的时候，不希望别人来打扰我。 Wǒ zài
gōngzuò de shíhou, bù xīwàng biérén lái dá rǎo wǒ.
dāngchǎng 当场 N on the spot 当场抓获 dāngchǎng zhuāhuò catch red-handed
dāngchū 当初 N originally, at the outset
dāngdài 当代 N contemporary era, present-day
dāngdì 当地 N at the place in question, local 当地人 dāngdì rén a local / 当地时间 dāngdì shíjiān local time
dāngjú 当局 N the authorities
dāngmiàn 当面 ADV to someone’s face; in the very presence of 当面撒谎 dāngmiàn sāhuǎng tell a barefaced
lie
dāngnián 当年 N in those years, then ■ 想当 年，亲戚朋友之间主要靠写信联系。哪有什么电 子邮
件？Xiǎng dāngnián, qīnqi péngyou zhī jiān zhǔyào kào xiě xìn liánxì. Nǎyǒu shénme diànzǐ
yóujiàn? In those years, relatives and friends mainly relied on letter-writing to keep in touch with
each other. How could there be e-mail? (→ There was no such thing as e-mail.)
dāngqián 当前 N at present, now ■ 王经理向我们 介绍了当前市场情况。Wáng jīnglǐ xiàng wǒmen
jièshàole dāngqián shìchǎng qíngkuàng. Mr Wang, the manager, briefed us on the current
marketing situation.
dāngrán 当然 ADJ of course ■ 他们受到这么 热情的招待，当然很高兴。Tāmen shòudào zhème
rèqíng de zhāodài, dāngrán hěn gāoxìng. They were of course delighted to be received so warmly.
■ “你到了北京别忘了给我发一份电子邮 件。”“那当然， 忘不了。”“Nǐ dàole Běijīng
bié wàngle gěi wǒ fā yí fèn diànzǐ yóujiàn.” “Nà dāngrán, wàng bu liǎo.” “Don’t forget to send me
an e-mail when you arrive in Beijing.” “Of course, I won’t forget.”
dāngshí 当时 N at that time, then ■ 当时我没有 想到这一点。Dāngshí wǒ méiyǒu xiǎngdào zhè
yìdiǎn. At that time I missed this point.
dāngshìrén 当事人 N person/people concerned; party (to a lawsuit)
dāngwùzhījí 当务之急 N the most pressing matter of the moment, top priority
dāngxīn 当心 V be cautious, take care
dāngxuǎn 当选 V be elected 当选为代表 dāngxuǎn wéi dàibiǎo be elected a delegate
dǎng 党 TRAD 黨 N political party ■ 他不参加任 何党。Tā bù cānjiā rènhé dǎng. He does not join any
party.
NOTE: 党 dǎng in China usually refers to 中国共产党 Zhōngguó Gòngchǎn Dǎng the Chinese Communist Party.