大自然

• Pinyin: dà zì rán
• Hanzi breakdown: 大 (dà) — great, vast; 自 (zì) — self; 然 (rán) — so, thus; 自然 together means nature

Meaning

Nature; the natural world. Refers to the natural environment and everything in it.

Emphasizes the vast and powerful quality of nature. Used to talk about the outdoors, environment, wildlife, and natural phenomena. More emphatic than 自然 alone when referring to the natural world.

Examples

1. 大自然的风景真的很美。 The scenery of nature is truly beautiful.
2. 我们应该保护大自然。 We should protect nature.
3. 他喜欢去山里，亲近大自然。 He likes going to the mountains to get close to nature.

Usage Guide

Context: environment, travel, science

Tone: appreciative, reflective

Do Say

• 大自然是最好的老师。(Nature is the best teacher.)
• 周末去大自然里走走吧。(Let's go out into nature this weekend.)

Don't Say

• 不要说'大自然很自然' — this is redundant; 大自然 already encompasses the concept of naturalness; say 大自然很美 or 大自然很神奇 instead.

Origin & History

Compound of 大 (great, vast) and 自然 (nature, natural). The prefix 大 elevates the concept to encompass the entirety of the natural world.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal