大书特书 (dà shū tè shū) — to write about at great length; to elaborate extensively; to make a big deal out of something

Definition

A formal written idiom meaning to elaborate on or highlight something with great emphasis in writing, often for a noteworthy event. It implies deliberately giving a topic extra attention, not just a long write-up.

idiom
to write about at great lengthto elaborate extensivelyto make a big deal out of something

Examples

  • 大书特书。
    Bào zhǐ duì nà cì shì jiàn dà shū tè shū.
    The newspaper wrote extensively about that incident.
  • 大书特书。
    Tā zài wén zhāng zhōng duì cǐ shì dà shū tè shū.
    He elaborated on this matter at great length in his article.
  • 大书特书。
    Méi tǐ duì zhè chǎng shèng shì dà shū tè shū.
    The media gave extensive coverage to this grand event.

Origin

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The form 大 is a picture of a person standing and facing forward, not of someone stretching their arms.

Open 大 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 書; 书 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
聿聿yùwriting brush
Sound part声符shēngfú
者
者zhě書shū
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 書 uses 聿, a writing brush, and 者 for its sound; the simplified 书 is a later shorthand.

Open 书 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
牛牛niúox
Sound part声符shēngfú
寺
寺sì特tè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The shape combines 牛 (ox) with 寺, which gives the pronunciation; it originally meant a large bull.

Open 特 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 書; 书 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
聿聿yùwriting brush
Sound part声符shēngfú
者
者zhě書shū
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 書 uses 聿, a writing brush, and 者 for its sound; the simplified 书 is a later shorthand.

Open 书 →

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