大约 (dàyuē) — approximately; about; roughly; around

大约 (dàyuē)

大约 is an adverb meaning "approximately" or "about," used before numbers or time expressions to indicate that the value is an estimate, not a precise measurement.

Meanings

1. [adverb] approximately; about; roughly; around (placed before numbers, quantities, or time expressions to indicate an approximation)

Usage Note

大约 is placed before the number or quantity it modifies. It can also appear before a verb to express a general estimate of likelihood or manner, similar to "roughly speaking."

Compare with 大概 (dàgài), which is very similar and often interchangeable. The difference is subtle:

• 大约 is more commonly used for numerical estimates (quantities, time, distance)
• 大概 can also express probability or uncertainty about a situation ("probably," "I suppose")

Example Sentences

从这里到车站大约要走二十分钟。 Cóng zhèlǐ dào chēzhàn dàyuē yào zǒu èrshí fēnzhōng. It takes approximately twenty minutes to walk from here to the station.

这本书大约有三百页。 Zhè běn shū dàyuē yǒu sānbǎi yè. This book has about three hundred pages.

他们大约下午三点到达。 Tāmen dàyuē xiàwǔ sān diǎn dàodá. They will arrive at around three in the afternoon.

这个项目大约需要三个月完成。 Zhège xiàngmù dàyuē xūyào sān gè yuè wánchéng. This project will take approximately three months to complete.

Collocations

Memory Hook

大 means "big / broad" and 约 means "agreement / approximately." A "broad agreement" with a number means you are not pinning it down exactly; you are giving a rough, big-picture figure, so 大约 means "approximately."