daai6 dou1大都
Jyutpingdaai6 dou1
Yaledaaih dōu
Definition
Mostly; for the most part; in most cases.
neutraldescriptions
How it's used
While 大都 functions similarly to 大多數, it carries a slightly more literary or formal tone in spoken Cantonese. It is often used to describe a general trend or a common characteristic of a group rather than a precise statistical majority. You will find it appearing more frequently in narrative speech or when someone is making a general observation about a situation.
Examples
Most people here speak Cantonese.
The ones you see are mostly his friends.
Related words
Common phrases
mostly are
Common mistake
Learners often confuse 大都 with 大概, but they are not interchangeable. 大概 means approximately or probably, whereas 大都 specifically refers to the majority of a group or the most common occurrence.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
