Meaning
跳舞 is a common verb meaning 'to dance.' It combines 跳 (to jump) and 舞 (dance), literally creating 'jump-dance.' This is the standard everyday term for dancing in Chinese, whether referring to social dancing, performance dance, or just moving to music.
Usage
跳舞 is used in both casual and formal contexts. It can describe dancing as a hobby, at parties, or professionally. Common patterns include 去跳舞 (go dancing), 会跳舞 (know how to dance), and 喜欢跳舞 (like to dance). It pairs with specific dance styles using the pattern 跳 + [dance type], like 跳芭蕾 (ballet) or 跳街舞 (hip-hop).
Examples
- 01周末我们常常去夜总会跳舞。.On weekends we often go to nightclubs to dance.
- 02她从小就学跳舞，现在跳得特别好。, .She has been learning to dance since childhood, and now she dances especially well.
Characters
Common collocations
- 去跳舞to go dancing
- 喜欢跳舞to like dancing
- 会跳舞to know how to dance
- 跳舞跳得好to dance well
Origin
The word combines 跳 (jump) with 舞 (dance), reflecting the physical movement aspect of dancing. 舞 itself is an ancient character showing a person with long sleeves dancing, dating back to oracle bone inscriptions.