大厦

• Pinyin: dà shà
• Hanzi breakdown: 大 = big; 厦 = 厂 + 夏 (building, mansion)

Meaning

Building; mansion; edifice. A formal noun for a large, imposing building.

Often used in proper names of commercial or office buildings (e.g., 帝国大厦 Empire State Building). Implies grandeur and significance. More formal than 楼 or 大楼.

Examples

1. 这座大厦是城市的地标建筑，有五十多层。 This building is a city landmark with over fifty floors.
2. 公司总部搬到了市中心的金融大厦。 The company headquarters moved to the financial building downtown.
3. 罗马不是一天建成的，大厦也不是一夜之间拔地而起的。 Rome wasn't built in a day, and grand buildings don't spring up overnight either.

Usage Guide

Context: architecture, business

Tone: formal

Do Say

• 请问国贸大厦怎么走？(Excuse me, how do I get to the World Trade Building?)
• 他在大厦顶层办公。(He works on the top floor of the building.)

Don't Say

• 我家是一个大厦 (大厦 is for commercial/office buildings — for residential homes, use 楼房 or 公寓)

Origin & History

Compound of 大 (big) + 厦 (building, mansion). Together meaning a large, grand building.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal