大度 (dà dù) — magnanimity; open-mindedness | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Refers to a generous, magnanimous character trait — being open-minded and not fussing over small matters, especially in how one treats others. Slightly more formal than 宽容 in everyday use.

noun

magnanimityopen-mindedness

Examples

大度，。
Tā wèi rén dà dù, cóng bú jì jiào xiǎo shì.
He is magnanimous and never fusses over small matters.
大度，。
Lǐng dǎo xū yào dà dù, cái néng tīng qǔ bù tóng yì jiàn.
Leaders need open-mindedness to listen to different opinions.
大度。
Tā de dà dù yíng dé le dà jiā de zūn zhòng.
His magnanimity earned everyone's respect.

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.

度dùmeasure

大 (large) and 度 (measure) suggest a generous measure of tolerance.

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.

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

又又yòuhand

Sound part声符shēngfú

石

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

度 has 又 (hand) and a changed form of 石; 石 gives a related sound, and the hand is tied to using the hand as a reference for measurement.

Appears in

Personality & Traits

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