Meaning
This word literally means 'big land' and refers to either a continent (a large landmass) or specifically to mainland China as distinguished from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau. In modern usage, when Chinese speakers say 大陆 without additional context, they almost always mean mainland China.
Usage
In political and cultural contexts, 大陆 is the standard neutral term used in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau to refer to the People's Republic of China. Mainland Chinese people also use this term when distinguishing themselves from these regions. In geography contexts, it simply means continent.
Examples
- 01我下个月要去大陆出差。.I'm going to the mainland on a business trip next month.
- 02地球上有七个大陆。.There are seven continents on Earth.
Characters
Measure words
- 个一个大陆
- 块一块大陆
Common collocations
- 中国大陆mainland China
- 大陆人mainlander, person from mainland China
- 大陆地区mainland region
- 欧洲大陆European continent
Antonyms
Origin
Compound of 大 (big) and 陆 (land). The geographical sense predates the political usage, which became common after 1949 when the Chinese Communist Party established control of the mainland while the Republic of China government retreated to Taiwan.