大小 dàxiǎo size
large and small; size; adults and children; consideration of seniority; at any rate
How to remember 大小: 大 big + 小 small = size.
Characters
How it is used
- An antonym-compound (big + small) meaning 'size' - 鞋的大小 (xié de dàxiǎo) shoe size; 大小合适 (dàxiǎo héshì) the size fits.
- So it names the dimension itself, not 'large and small' as two things.
- Reduplicated 大大小小 (dàdà-xiǎoxiǎo) means 'of all sizes, big and small alike'.
Example sentences
- 日本比加拿大小。 Rìběn bǐ jiānádà xiǎo.Japan is smaller than Canada.
- 亚洲的大小约四倍于欧洲。 Yàzhōu de dàxiǎo yuē sìbèi yú ōuzhōu.Asia is roughly four times the size of Europe.