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大体 (dà tǐ) — (adverb) generally, basically, on the whole; (noun) overall situation, the big picture

Definition

As an adverb it means 'generally, on the whole' — close to 基本上 and 大致, but 大体 also reads as a noun for 'the big picture' (cf. 大局, 全局). Often used in the formula 大体来说 ('generally speaking').

adverb
generallybasicallyon the whole
noun
overall situationthe big picture
Easily confused

Examples

  • 大体，。
    dà tǐ Lái shuō, tā de zuò fǎ shì duì de.
    Generally speaking, his approach is correct.
  • 大体。
    Nǐ de yì jiàn dà tǐ zhèng què.
    Your opinion is basically correct.
  • ，大体。
    Nǐ bú yào zhī kàn xì jié, yào zhuā zhù dà tǐ.
    You shouldn't only look at the details; you must grasp the big picture.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

大dàmain
体tǐbody

大 means main or overall, and 体 means body or outline, giving the general picture.

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 體; 体 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
骨骨gǔbone
Sound part声符shēngfú
豊
豊lǐ體tǐ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 體 pairs 骨 (bone) with 豊 as a sound part; this note is about 體, not about the parts of 体.

Open 体 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Abstract Concepts

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