大法 (dà fǎ) — (legal) constitution of a nation, fundamental law; (Buddhist) great dharma

Definition

Literary/elevated term, not everyday use. In law, "the constitution / fundamental law of a nation" (close in meaning to 宪法 but more classical). In Buddhism, "the great Dharma" — the ultimate truth the Buddha taught.

noun
(legal) constitution of a nationfundamental law(Buddhist) great dharma

Examples

  • 大法。
    Zhè bù dà fǎ bǎo zhàng le gōng mín de jī běn quán lì.
    This constitution safeguards the basic rights of citizens.
  • 大法。
    dà fǎ Shì yí gè guó jiā de gēn běn fǎ lǜ.
    The fundamental law is the foundation of a country's legal system.
  • 大法。
    Fó jiào zhōng de dà fǎ zhǐ de shì yǔ zhòu de zhēn lǐ.
    In Buddhism, the great dharma refers to the truth of the universe.

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
法fǎlaw

大 conveys great or fundamental, while 法 refers to law or dharma.

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
廌廌zhìa type of antelope or caprid
Sound part声符shēngfú
盍
盍hé法fǎ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

法's older form combined 氵 (water) and 廌 (a type of antelope or caprid), with 盍 as a sound part; later 廌 was dropped.

Open 法 →

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