大约 (dà yuē) — approximately, about; probably, most likely

Definition

Used like 'about' before numbers or amounts. Similar to 大概 but more formal and usually followed by an estimate, not a guess about intent or truth.

adverb

approximatelyaboutprobablymost likely

大约。
Tā měi tiān dà yuē xué xí sān gè xiǎo shí.
He studies about three hours every day.
大约。
Cóng zhè lǐ dào chē zhàn dà yuē yào zǒu shí fēn zhōng.
It takes about ten minutes to walk from here to the station.
大约。
Zhè jiàn shì dà yuē bú shì tā zuò de.
He probably didn't do this.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

大dàroughly

约yuēapproximately

Both 大 and 约 carry the sense of rough estimation, so together they mean approximately or probably.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 約; 约 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糸糸mìrope

Sound part声符shēngfú

勺

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

The traditional form 約 uses 糸, a rope, for its meaning and 勺 for its sound; the simplified 约 is a later shorthand.

Appears in