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大半生 (dà bàn shēng) — the greater part of one's life

Definition

A noun meaning 'the greater part of one's life', used as a time span — almost always appears with 都 + verb phrase to describe what someone did over most of their life.

noun
the greater part of one's life

Examples

  • 大半生。
    Tā dà bàn shēng dōu zài guó wài shēng huó.
    He has lived abroad for the greater part of his life.
  • 大半生。
    Tā dà bàn shēng dōu fèng xiàn gěi le jiào yù shì yè.
    She has dedicated the greater part of her life to education.
  • 大半生。
    Lǎo rén yòng dà bàn shēng shí jiān xiě le zhè běn shū.
    The old man spent the greater part of his life writing this book.

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.

大半greater part
大dàlarge半bànhalf
偏正Modifier + head
生shēnglife

The 大 (large) and 半 (half) make a greater part, with 生 (life) giving the whole span of life.

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.

The shape pairs 八 (to divide) with 牛 (cow), showing a cow cut into two halves.

Open 半 →

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

生 shows 屮 (a bud) above 一 (the ground), drawing a sprout coming up from the earth.

Open 生 →
Appears in
Time (Abstract)

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