大使馆

• Pinyin: dà shǐ guǎn
• Hanzi breakdown: 大 (big/great) + 使 (envoy/ambassador) + 馆 (building/hall)

Meaning

Embassy. The official diplomatic building where a country's ambassador and staff work in a foreign country.

Refers specifically to the main diplomatic office of one country in another. Used in travel, visa applications, and international affairs. Different from 领事馆 (consulate), which handles specific regional services.

Examples

1. 我需要去大使馆办签证。 I need to go to the embassy to get a visa.
2. 中国大使馆在这条街的尽头。 The Chinese embassy is at the end of this street.
3. 大使馆每周一到周五上午办公。 The embassy is open from Monday to Friday mornings.

Usage Guide

Context: travel, diplomacy, government

Tone: formal

Do Say

• 你去过美国大使馆吗？(Have you been to the American embassy?)
• 大使馆可以帮助海外的公民。(The embassy can help citizens abroad.)

Don't Say

• 我去大使馆买东西 (Don't confuse 大使馆 with a general public building — it is specifically a diplomatic office)

Origin & History

Compound of 大使 (ambassador) and 馆 (building/hall), literally 'ambassador building.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal