大概 dàgài — probably, roughly, approximately

Meanings

1. 1

   probably, roughly, approximately

   大, big, general, and 概, an outline — together, the broad shape of an answer rather than its exact edge. Before a number it estimates, 大概三百人, roughly three hundred people; before a whole sentence it hedges the speaker’s certainty, 他大概不知道, he probably doesn’t know.

   adverb
2. 2

   rough, approximate; a rough idea

   adjective

Character breakdown

• 大

  dà (fourth tone, falling) dài (fourth tone, falling)

  big, large; (of age) old; greatly, very; (dài) only in 大夫 dàifu, a doctor

  3 strokesRadical 大

Example sentences

• 这个班大概有三十个学生。/這個班大概有三十個學生。Zhège (fourth tone, falling) bān (first tone, high and level) dàgài (fourth tone, falling) yǒu (third tone, dipping) sānshí (first tone, high and level) ge (neutral tone) xuésheng. (second tone, rising)···

  This class has roughly thirty students.

• 我不知道他大概什么时候回来。/我不知道他大概什麼時候回來。Wǒ (third tone, dipping) bù (fourth tone, falling) zhīdào (first tone, high and level) tā (first tone, high and level) dàgài (fourth tone, falling) shénme (second tone, rising) shíhou (second tone, rising) huílái. (second tone, rising)···

  I don’t know roughly when he’ll be back.

Similar words

Words containing 大

• 大dà (fourth tone, falling)big, large
• 大家dàjiā (fourth tone, falling)everyone, everybody
• 大学/大學dà (fourth tone, falling) xué (second tone, rising)university
• 伟大/偉大wěi (third tone, dipping) dà (fourth tone, falling)great
• 长大/長大zhǎng (third tone, dipping) dà (fourth tone, falling)to grow up
• 巨大jù (fourth tone, falling) dà (fourth tone, falling)huge
• 重大zhòng (fourth tone, falling) dà (fourth tone, falling)great
• 大量dà (fourth tone, falling) liàng (fourth tone, falling)great amount
• 强大/強大qiáng (second tone, rising) dà (fourth tone, falling)large
• 大部分dà (fourth tone, falling) bù (fourth tone, falling) fen (neutral tone)in large part
• 大多数/大多數dà (fourth tone, falling) duō (first tone, high and level) shù (fourth tone, falling)(great) majority
• 大约/大約dà (fourth tone, falling) yuē (first tone, high and level)approximately
• 大人dà (fourth tone, falling) ren (neutral tone)adult
• 大会/大會dà (fourth tone, falling) huì (fourth tone, falling)general assembly
• 大赛/大賽dà (fourth tone, falling) sài (fourth tone, falling)grand contest
• 大型dà (fourth tone, falling) xíng (second tone, rising)large
• 大师/大師dà (fourth tone, falling) shī (first tone, high and level)great master