Meaning
大多数 means 'the majority' or 'most' and is used to refer to the larger portion of a group. It combines 大 (big), 多 (many), and 数 (number) to literally mean 'the big many number.' This word functions both as a noun referring to the majority itself and as a determiner modifying other nouns.
Usage
大多数 is commonly used in formal and informal contexts when discussing statistics, general trends, or group characteristics. It typically appears before nouns (大多数人 'most people') or can stand alone as a subject or object. Native speakers often pair it with 的 when modifying nouns, and it carries a neutral, factual tone.
Examples
- 01大多数学生都通过了考试。.Most students passed the exam.
- 02在大多数情况下，他都是对的。, .In most cases, he is right.
Characters
Common collocations
- 大多数人most people
- 大多数情况下in most cases
- 绝大多数the vast majority
- 大多数时候most of the time
Antonyms
Origin
大多数 is a modern compound that literally translates to 'big-many-number,' expressing the concept of the larger numerical portion of a group. It became standardized in modern Chinese for expressing statistical majorities.