大赛
dàsài · HSK 6
contest
🏆 大 (big) + 赛 (contest/match) = big contest = tournament
大 means big or grand; 赛 means competition or match. Together: a grand competition — a tournament or major contest. The 赛 character itself shows 贝 (shell/money) underneath, hinting at prizes won in contests.
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.
赛 — roof 宀 + 共 (together) + shell 貝
赛 originally meant offering thanks or recompense to spirits, written with 貝 (cowrie/money) suggesting tribute or payment. The upper part acts as the phonetic component. Over time the meaning shifted from ritual repayment to 'compete' or 'contest,' as in matches between rivals.