高大 (gāo dà) — tall and big; imposing in stature

Definition

高大 (gāodà) means physically tall and big — describes the build or stature of a person, tree, or building. The base adjective 高 alone means 'tall/high', so 高大 adds the sense of size and presence. 高尚/崇高 are moral (noble/lofty) — not physical.

adjective
tall and bigimposing in stature

Examples

  • 高大
    Wǒ gē ge shēn cái gāo dà, kàn qǐ lái hěn shuài.
    My older brother is tall and big; he looks very handsome.
  • 高大
    Nà zuò gāo dà de lóu fáng shì xīn tú shū guǎn.
    That tall building is the new library.
  • 高大
    Zhè kē gāo dà de dà shù yǐ jīng yǒu jǐ shí nián le.
    This tall and big tree has been here for decades.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

高 (tall) and 大 (big) together describe something tall and big.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

高 was drawn as a tall building.

Open 高 →

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 →

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