大马力 (dà mǎ lì) — high horsepower; large horsepower output

Definition

Technical term meaning 'high horsepower' — the power output of an engine, used for cars, machinery, and equipment. Often contrasted with 小马力 ('low horsepower') when comparing performance.

noun
high horsepowerlarge horsepower output

Examples

  • 大马力，。
    Zhè liàng chē de dà mǎ lì fēi cháng qiáng, jiā sù hěn kuài.
    This car's high horsepower is very strong, acceleration is fast.
  • 大马力。
    dà mǎ lì De fā dòng jī xū yào gèng duō rán yóu.
    A high-horsepower engine needs more fuel.
  • 大马力。
    Zhè kuǎn dà mǎ lì yuè yě chē xìng néng fēi cháng chū sè.
    This high-horsepower off-road vehicle has excellent performance.

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dàhigh
马力horsepower
马mǎhorse力lìpower
偏正Modifier + head

大 means high or large, 马 refers to horse, and 力 to power, together high horsepower.

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 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 馬; 马 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 馬 shows a horse with its head facing left, a flowing mane, and two legs standing vertically.

Open 马 →

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

力 is drawn as either an arm bending out from the side of the body or a wooden plough.

Open 力 →

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