老大

• Pinyin: lǎo dà
• Hanzi breakdown: 老 = 耂 + 匕 (old + change — aged/senior); 大 = 大 (big — the eldest or largest)

Meaning

The eldest child; the boss or leader; greatly or extremely. Can refer to the firstborn in a family, the head of a group, or function as an adverb meaning 'very much.'

In family contexts, 老大 is the eldest sibling. In colloquial speech, it refers to the leader or top figure in a group, organisation, or gang (often with informal or underworld connotations). Adverbially, 老大不小 means 'quite old' and 老大不愿意 means 'very unwilling.'

Examples

1. 他是家里的老大，从小就承担着照顾弟弟妹妹的责任。 He’s the oldest in the family, and from a young age he took on the responsibility of caring for his younger siblings.
2. 这家公司的老大决策果断，带领团队在激烈的市场竞争中脱颖而出。 The head of this company makes decisive calls and has led the team to stand out in fierce market competition.
3. 都三十好几的人了，老大不小了，该考虑成家立业的问题了。 You’re already in your mid-thirties—you’re not getting any younger. It’s time to think about starting a family and building a career.

Usage Guide

Context: family, colloquial, business, slang

Tone: casual

Do Say

• 作为团队的老大，他不仅要制定战略方向，还要协调各方资源，责任重大。(As the boss of the team, he not only has to set the strategic direction but also coordinate resources from all sides, bearing great responsibility.)
• 她老大不情愿地接受了这个安排，心里却一直在盘算着如何改变局面。(She very reluctantly accepted this arrangement, but kept calculating in her mind how to change the situation.)

Don't Say

• 公司的老大哥 — while 老大哥 exists (Big Brother), it has different connotations; for company leader, just use 老大 or 老板

Origin & History

老 (old/senior) + 大 (big/eldest)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal