大声
dàshēng · HSK 2
loud
📢 大 (big) + 声 (sound/voice) = big voice = loud
大 means big or large; 声 means sound or voice. Together they literally mean big voice, which extends to loud or loudly. Common in 大声说 (speak loudly) and 大声喊 (shout).
大 — pictograph of a person with arms outstretched
大 is a pictograph showing a person standing with arms and legs spread wide. The outstretched arms suggest 'big' or 'great', extending from the literal image of a large stance to abstract meanings like important or grand. It is one of the oldest characters, found on oracle bones.
声 — 士 scholar/warrior on top + 尸-like form + components (simplified from 聲)
声 is the simplified form of 聲, which originally depicted a hanging stone chime (殸) being struck, with 耳 'ear' below to show hearing. The full form combined the sound-making instrument and the act of listening, meaning 'sound' or 'voice'. The modern simplified 声 keeps only the upper portion.