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大号 (dà hào) — large size (of clothing, shoes, etc.); tuba; bass (musical instrument); (polite) your (given) name

Definition

Literally 'big size/number/name'. In clothing it means 'large size'; in music it names the tuba; the polite sense 贵大号 asks an elder's given name. Context disambiguates all three.

noun
large size (of clothing, shoes, etc.)tubabass (musical instrument)(polite) your (given) name

Examples

  • 大号。
    Zhè jiàn yī fu shì dà hào de.
    This piece of clothing is a large size.
  • 大号。
    Tā zài yuè duì lǐ chuī dà hào.
    He plays the tuba in the band.
  • 大号？
    Qǐng wèn nín de dà hào zěn me chēng hu?
    May I ask what your formal name is?

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dàlarge
号hàosize/name/instrument

大 means large, and 号 denotes size, name, or a wind instrument, so it covers large size, tuba, or polite name.

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 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 口口kǒumouth
  • 丂丂kǎoexhaled air; a tiger's cry

The shape 号 comes from 口, a mouth, and 丂, exhaled air or a tiger's cry.

Open 号 →
Appears in
Identity & TitlesMusicSize & Dimension

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