Writing
大概 (dàgài) — how to say "probably" in Chinese
大概
Probably, approximately
adjective · adverb of likelihood · noun
1. approximate; roughHSK 3.0 · level 3
adjective
2. probably; approximatelyHSK 3.0 · level 3
adverb of likelihood
3. general idea; rough outlineHSK 3.0 · level 6
noun
How to use it
Goes before the verb and says how likely it is.
他大概已经走了。
tā dà gài yǐ jīng zǒu le
He has probably already left.
Character composition
大
big
概
generally, probably
Radicals / Keys
大
Big
#37 · dà · 3 strokes
木
Tree
#75 · mù · 4 strokes
Synonyms
Collocations
大概意思
dàgài yìsi
general meaning
大概时间
dàgài shíjiān
approximate time
大概知道
dàgài zhīdào
roughly know
Examples
根据我的估计，完成这个工作大概需要三天时间。
According to my estimate, it will take about three days to complete this work.
大概八点。
Around eight o'clock.
Mnemonic
[dàgài-] Auntie Da Gai always says "probably" and "approximately." She carries a big (大) sack of apples and guesses, "大概 there are twenty here!" 🍎 But she never knows the exact number — only roughly.
Frequently asked questions
How to say probably in Mandarin?
"probably" in Chinese is 大概 (dàgài).
What does 大概 mean in English?
大概 (dàgài) means "Probably, approximately".
How is 大概 pronounced?
It is pronounced dàgài (written as dagai). You can listen to the pronunciation on this page.
How do you write "probably" in Chinese characters?
It is written 大概: 大 has 3 strokes, 概 has 13 strokes. The Writing section above animates the stroke order of each character and lets you trace it.
What HSK level is 大概?
大概 belongs to the HSK 4 vocabulary list.
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