大字 (dà zì) — large character, big letter (in writing, signage, or calligraphy)

Definition

Refers to characters written in a noticeably large size, typically for signs, posters, or calligraphy practice — not the opposite of 小字 in the sense of upper-case letters. Pinyin is dàzì (two syllables).

noun
large characterbig letter (in writing, signage, or calligraphy)
Measure word · 个
Easily confused

Examples

  • 大字。
    Shāng diàn mén kǒu de dà zì hěn xǐng mù.
    The large characters at the shop entrance are very eye-catching.
  • 大字。
    Tā zài liàn xí xiě máo bǐ dà zì.
    He is practicing writing large characters with a brush pen.
  • 大字。
    Hǎi bào shàng yòng dà zì xiě zhe huó dòng shí jiān.
    The poster uses large characters to write the event time.

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
字zìcharacter

'大' means large and '字' means character; together they denote a large written character or letter.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
宀宀miánroof
Sound part声符shēngfú
子
子zǐ字zì
Same sound today

字 pairs 宀 (roof) with 子 (child); 子 gives the sound, while 宀 relates to the meaning.

Open 字 →

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