大人 dàren adult
adult; grownup; title of respect toward superiors
How to remember 大人: 大 big + 人 person = adult.
Characters
How it is used
- An adult / grown-up, as opposed to a child (小孩) - 这是大人的事 (zhè shì dàren de shì) this is grown-up business.
- Note the neutral tone: dàren, not dàrén; often heard from a child's point of view.
- A historical second sense is 'my lord / your honour' (dàren) addressing officials, but the everyday meaning is 'adult'.
Example sentences
- 你现在是大人了。 Nǐ xiànzài shì dàrén le.You are now an adult.
- 那些男人是加拿大人。 Nàxiē nánrén shì jiānádàrén.Those men are Canadians.
- 那些女人是加拿大人。 Nàxiē nǚrén shì jiānádàrén.Those women are Canadians.