大数据

• Pinyin: dà shù jù
• Hanzi breakdown: 大 (big) + 数据 (data) -> large-scale data and analytics.

Meaning

Big data systems, often imagined as platform analysis behind recommendations and decisions.

In casual use, people say 大数据 when ads or recommendations seem to know their interests. It can be technical, joking, or privacy-conscious.

Examples

1. 我刚搜索完，广告就来了，大数据真准。 I’d just finished searching and then the ads came up. Big data is really accurate.
2. 大数据推荐让我发现了新歌。 The big data recommendations helped me discover a new song.
3. 别把隐私全交给大数据。 Don't hand all your privacy over to big data.

Usage Guide

Context: technology, shopping, privacy

Tone: curious, wary

Do Say

• 大数据能改善推荐，也会带来隐私问题。（Big data can improve recommendations and raise privacy issues.）
• 平台用大数据分析用户偏好。（Platforms use big data to analyze preferences.）

Don't Say

• 把任何巧合都说成大数据监控。（Not every coincidence is data surveillance.）

Common Mistakes

• Using it as a catch-all for every technology; it specifically concerns large-scale data use.

Origin & History

Translation of "big data," popularized through tech policy, business, and platform culture.

Cultural Context

Era: 2010s-2020s

Generation: Broadly understood

Social background: Urban consumers, students, and professionals

Regional notes: Common across Mainland tech, business, and everyday speech.