大数 (Dà shù) — fate; destiny (formal or dialectal); great number; large quantity (used in mathematics or describing huge figures)

Definition

大数 has two unrelated senses: in everyday use it means 'fate / destiny' (formal or literary); in mathematics it means 'a large number' (大数定律 = the law of large numbers).

noun
fatedestiny (formal or dialectal)great numberlarge quantity (used in mathematics or describing huge figures)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 大数。
    Dà jiā dōu xiāng xìn Dà shù shì bù kě gǎi biàn de.
    Everyone believes that fate is unchangeable.
  • ，大数。
    Zài shù xué zhōng, Dà shù dìng lǜ fēi cháng zhòng yào.
    The law of large numbers is very important in mathematics.
  • 大数。
    Zhè ge shù zì zhēn shì yí gè Dà shù.
    This number is really a huge one.

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dàgreat
数shùnumber/fate

大, 'great', and 数, 'number/fate', combine to give a large number or destiny.

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 →

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.

Open 数 →

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