Definition
大约 means 'approximately' for numbers/time and 'probably' for events. It's neutral in register, used in both speech and writing. In contrast, 大概 is more colloquial and also functions as an adjective (rough), while single-character 约 (yuē) is more formal and typically used in written contexts.
adverb
approximatelyaboutprobablymost likely
Examples
- 大约。Tā měitiān dà yuē xuéxí sān gè xiǎoshí.He studies about three hours every day.
- 大约。Cóng zhèlǐ dào chēzhàn dà yuē yào zǒu shí fēnzhōng.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.
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