大部分

• Pinyin: dà bù fen
• Hanzi breakdown: 大 = pictograph of a person with arms spread — big; 部 = section; 分 = 八 (divide) + 刀 (knife) — to divide into parts

Meaning

Most; the majority; the greater part. Refers to the larger portion of a group or quantity.

Used as a noun or adverbial modifier to describe the larger part of something. Can modify both countable and uncountable nouns. Similar to 大多数 but slightly broader in application.

Examples

1. 大部分学生都通过了考试。 Most students passed the exam.
2. 他把大部分时间花在了工作上。 He spent most of his time on work.
3. 这些苹果大部分都很新鲜。 Most of these apples are very fresh.

Usage Guide

Context: description, statistics, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 大部分人都同意这个方案。(Most people agree with this plan.)
• 他的大部分朋友都在北京。(Most of his friends are in Beijing.)

Don't Say

• 不要混淆大部分和全部 — 大部分 means most but not all, while 全部 means everything. Saying 大部分 implies some exceptions exist.

Origin & History

Compound of 大 (big, great) and 部分 (part, portion). Literally means the big or larger portion.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal