大 dà
“big; large; great; older (than another person); eldest (as in 姐)”
adjective, adverb, nounHSK 1 · 2021 list level 1
新HSK等级2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus level
大 appears in the November 2025 exam syllabus in the following numbered entry. Levels refer to the listed reading and use, not every meaning.
- Entry 25: 大 dà — Level 1; official annotation 1 (形). PDF page 80
Separate from the HSK 2.0 and 2021 list labels above. Compare the three lists.
用法How to use 大
大 means "big/large" and describes size (大房子) or relative age/seniority (他比我大). It can come directly before a noun or follow a subject as an adjective predicate; in simple positive descriptions the predicate usually takes 很 (这个很大).
例句Example sentences
- 我有一个大房子。wǒ yǒu yí gè dà fáng zi.I have a big house.
- 这个苹果很大。zhè ge píng guǒ hěn dà.This apple is very big.
- 他的眼睛很大。tā de yǎn jing hěn dà.His eyes are very big.
常见错误Common mistakes
-
✗这个很大是。
✓这个很大。
In this neutral description, 很大 is the predicate; do not add 是 at the end.
-
✗我很大房子。
✓我有一个大房子。
The sentence has no predicate: 我 cannot be followed directly by 很大房子. Use a verb such as 有; if 很 modifies an attributive adjective, use 的 (我很大的房子 as a noun phrase).
义项All meanings
- dà: big; large; great; older (than another person); eldest (as in 姐); greatly; freely; fully; (dialect) father; (dialect) uncle (father's brother)
- dài: see 夫