Meaning
大体 means 'roughly' or 'generally' when used as an adverb, indicating something is approximately true or mostly the case without being precise. As a noun, it can refer to the main part or general outline of something. It's commonly used to soften statements or provide general assessments without claiming absolute accuracy.
Usage
Native speakers use 大体 in both formal and informal contexts to indicate approximation or generalization. It's particularly common in discussions, reports, and everyday conversation when you want to give a general sense of something without committing to exact details. Often appears at the beginning of sentences or before adjectives and verbs.
Examples
- 01这个计划大体上是可行的。.This plan is generally feasible.
- 02我大体知道这件事的经过。.I roughly know how this matter unfolded.
Characters
Common collocations
- 大体上generally speaking, on the whole
- 大体相同roughly the same
- 大体了解understand roughly
Antonyms
Origin
The word combines 大 (big/large) with 体 (body/form) to create the meaning of 'the big picture' or 'the large form,' which naturally extends to mean 'generally' or 'roughly.'