多数 (duō shù) — majority; most | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

多数 (duōshù) is a noun meaning 'the majority' — a fixed group, not 'most' as a superlative like 最. Pairs naturally with its opposite 少数 ('minority').

noun

majoritymost

Examples

多数。
duō shù Rén dōu xǐ huan zhè ge diàn yǐng.
Most people like this movie.
多数，。
Zài duō shù qíng kuàng xià, zhè ge fāng fǎ shì duì de.
In most cases, this method is correct.
多数。
duō shù Guó jiā dōu cān jiā le huì yì.
Most countries participated in the meeting.

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.

多 means many, and 数 means number, so 多数 points to the greater number.

Characters in this word

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

多 originally showed two pieces of meat placed together; the repeated meat shape gives the sense of many.

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 數; 数 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

攴攴pū

Sound part声符shēngfú

婁

婁lóu數shù(r)

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 數 pairs 攴, the meaning part, with 婁, the sound part; the simplified 数 is a shorthand.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 4 Quantity & Amount

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