Chinese word

大门

Pronunciation

Pinyindà mén

Meaning

  • nounmain gate

Example

学校的大门早上八点开门。xué xiào de dà mén zǎo shàng bā diǎn kāi mén

The school's main gate opens at eight in the morning.

Illustration for 大门 (main gate)

More examples

爷爷每天早上站在大门口等我们。yé yé měi tiān zǎo shàng zhàn zài dà mén kǒu děng wǒ men

Grandpa stands at the main gate every morning waiting for us.

Core concept

The prominent passage at the front of a building or enclosed place, sized for the main flow of people or vehicles.

Common phrases

  • 打开大门dǎ kāi dà mén

    open the main gate

  • 关上大门guān shàng dà mén

    close the main gate

Similar words

门mén: A door or gate that opens and closes at a building or room entrance.
门口mén kǒu: The area just outside or around the entrance to a building or room.
入口rù kǒu: A place or passage used by people or vehicles to enter.
正门zhèng mén: The official front entrance of a building or enclosed place.

Definition in Chinese

建筑或场所的主要出入口，通常比普通门更宽大或更显眼，用于人员或车辆出入。jiàn zhù huò cháng suǒ de zhǔ yào chū rù kǒu tōng cháng bǐ pǔ tōng mén gèng kuān dà huò gèng xián yǎn yòng yú rén yuán huò chē liàng chū rù

Word origin

大 (dà, "big") + 门 (mén, "gate") forms 大门 (dàmén, "main gate"), with 大 showing that this gate is larger or more important than an ordinary entrance.

Usage tips

  • In directions, this word can mark a meeting place because it is easier to find than an interior room.

Other meanings

  • entrancenoun

Opposites

  • 侧门cè ménside gatenoun

Related words

  • 大门口dà mén kǒumain gate entrancenoun

Word lists with this word