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大概 (dà gài) — (adverb) probably, roughly; (adjective) rough, approximate; (noun) general idea, rough outline

Definition

大概 is the all-purpose 'roughly / probably' — covers both guessing (he has probably left) and approximation (a rough number). 大约 is purely a number/amount approximation; 多半 is stronger for 'most likely'.

adverb
probablyroughly
adjective
roughapproximate
noun
general idearough outline

Examples

  • 大概。
    Tā dà gài yǐ jīng huí jiā le.
    He has probably already gone home.
  • 大概。
    Zhè zhǐ shì gè dà gài de shù zì.
    This is just a rough number.
  • 大概。
    Wǒ duì zhè jiàn shì zhī zhī dào gè dà gài.
    I only have a general idea about this matter.

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dàbroad
概gàioutline

大 (broad) and 概 (outline) combine to mean a rough outline or approximate idea.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mùwood
Sound part声符shēngfú
既
既jì概gài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

概 pairs 木 (wood) with 既 as its sound part; the character meant a strickle.

Open 概 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 3HSK 2.0 Level 41000 Most Frequent Chinese WordsAbstract ConceptsQuantity & Amount2000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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