大都 vs 都: what is the difference?
都 means all, with no exceptions. 大都 means most, and a few may differ: 他的朋友大都是老师，只有一个是医生。
| Word | Pinyin | What it does | Structure |
|---|---|---|---|
| 大都 | dà dōu | Says that most members of a group share a trait, while allowing a few exceptions. | plural subject + 大都 + verb phrase |
| 都 | dōu | Means 'all', with no exceptions. | Subject + 都 + Verb |
大都 (dà dōu)
Says that most members of a group share a trait, while allowing a few exceptions.
Structure: plural subject + 大都 + verb phrase
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 公司的同事大都住在附近，上班很方便。 | Gōng sī de tóng shì dà dōu zhù zài fù jìn, shàng bān hěn fāng biàn. | Most of my colleagues live nearby, so commuting is easy. |
| 这些书大都是我在旧书店买的。 | Zhè xiē shū dà dōu shì wǒ zài jiù shū diàn mǎi de. | Most of these books I bought in second-hand shops. |
| 这里的饭馆大都十点才关门。 | Zhè lǐ de fàn guǎn dà dōu shí diǎn cái guān mén. | The restaurants here mostly close at ten. |
Not: 大都的学生都去了。 大都 goes after the subject and never in front of a noun. Before a noun, use 大多数: 大多数学生都去了。
都 (dōu)
Means 'all', with no exceptions.
Structure: Subject + 都 + Verb
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我们都喜欢吃饺子。 | Wǒ men dōu xǐ huan chī jiǎo zi. | We all like dumplings. |
| 这些菜他都爱吃。 | Zhè xiē cài tā dōu ài chī. | He likes all of these dishes. |
| 我的朋友都在北京。 | Wǒ de péng you dōu zài běi jīng. | All my friends are in Beijing. |
Not: 我们班的同学都是女生，只有两个男生。 都 allows no exceptions. With two exceptions say 大都: 我们班的同学大都是女生，只有两个男生。
Where this comes from
The comparison is part of Scope Adverb: 大都 (HSK 5) in the grammar reference, which has the full explanation, more worked examples, and what to learn before and after it.
More pairs: 从而 vs 因此 · 从…来看 vs 在…看来 · 跟…相比 vs 跟…一样 · 过于 vs 太 · 看不得 vs 看不懂 · 累坏了 vs 累得不得了 · 凭 vs 依据 · 起来 vs 下去 · 仍旧 vs 依旧 · 为了 vs 为的是 · 有 vs 有着 · 再次 vs 又 · all 81 pairs.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between 大都 and 都?
都 means all, with no exceptions. 大都 means most, and a few may differ: 他的朋友大都是老师，只有一个是医生。
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