博大 (bó dà) — broad and profound; extensive and deep (of knowledge, culture, mind)

Definition

Written/formal adjective (often 博大精深) describing knowledge, culture, or mind as vast and profound. Not used in casual speech.

verb
broad and profoundextensive and deep (of knowledge, culture, mind)

Examples

  • ,。
    Zhōng huá wén huà bó dà jīng shēn, zhí dé wǒ men xué xí hé chuán chéng.
    Chinese culture is broad and profound; it is worth our study and inheritance.
  • 博大,。
    Zhè wèi jiào shòu xué shí bó dà, shēn shòu xué shēng zūn jìng.
    This professor has profound knowledge and is deeply respected by students.
  • 博大,。
    Zuò rén yào yǒu bó dà de xiōng huái, cái néng bāo róng bù tóng yì jiàn.
    To be a person, you need to have a broad mind, only then can you tolerate different opinions.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

博bóbroad
大dàlarge

博 means broad, and 大 means large; together they describe something wide and extensive.

Characters in this word

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
十十shíten
Sound part声符shēngfú
尃
尃fū博
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The shape comes from combining 十 (ten) with 尃; 尃 gives the sound.

Open 博 →

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 →

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