大陆
dàlù · HSK 4
Ch. mainland
🌍 大陆 = big + land
大 means big and 陆 means land, so 大陆 literally reads as 'big land' — the mainland or a continent. Often used to refer to mainland China as opposed to Taiwan or Hong Kong.
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.