# 老大
## Chinese
### Pronunciation 1

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): lǎodà
    (Zhuyin): ㄌㄠˇ ㄉㄚˋ
* Cantonese (Jyutping): lou$^5$ daai$^6$
* Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): ló-tāi / nó͘-tāi
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: lǎodà
*** Zhuyin: ㄌㄠˇ ㄉㄚˋ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: lǎodà
*** Wade–Giles: lao$^3$-ta$^4$
*** Yale: lǎu-dà
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: laodah
*** Palladius: лаода (laoda)
*** Sinological IPA : /lɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ tä⁵¹/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: lou$^5$ daai$^6$
*** Yale: lóuh daaih
*** Cantonese Pinyin: lou$^5$ daai$^6$
*** Guangdong Romanization: lou$^5$ dai$^6$
*** Sinological IPA : /lou̯¹³ taːi̯²²/
* Southern Min
** (Hokkien: Xiamen, Zhangzhou)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: ló-tāi
*** Tâi-lô: ló-tāi
*** Phofsit Daibuun: loy'dai
*** IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou): /lo⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tai²²/
** (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: nó͘-tāi
*** Tâi-lô: nóo-tāi
*** Phofsit Daibuun: nofdai
*** IPA (Quanzhou): /nɔ̃⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ tai⁴¹/
* Middle Chinese: lawX dajH|daH
Rime :
| Character | 老 | 大 | 大 |
| Reading # | 1/1 | 1/2 | 2/2 |
| Initial (聲) | 來 (37) | 定 (7) | 定 (7) |
| Final (韻) | 豪 (89) | 泰 (25) | 歌 (94) |
| Tone (調) | Rising (X) | Departing (H) | Departing (H) |
| Openness (開合) | Open | Open | Open |
| Division (等) | I | I | I |
| Fanqie | 盧晧切 | 徒蓋切 | 唐佐切 |
| Baxter | lawX | dajH | daH |
| Reconstructions ||||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /lɑu$^X$/ | /dɑi$^H$/ | /dɑ$^H$/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /lɑu$^X$/ | /dɑi$^H$/ | /dɑ$^H$/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /lɑu$^X$/ | /dɑi$^H$/ | /dɑ$^H$/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /law$^X$/ | /daj$^H$/ | /da$^H$/ |
| Li Rong | /lɑu$^X$/ | /dɑi$^H$/ | /dɑ$^H$/ |
| Wang Li | /lɑu$^X$/ | /dɑi$^H$/ | /dɑ$^H$/ |
| Bernard Karlgren | /lɑu$^X$/ | /dʱɑi$^H$/ | /dʱɑ$^H$/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | lǎo | dài | duò |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | lou$^5$ | daai$^6$ | do$^6$ |

#### Adjective

老大
* (literary) old (in age)
    From: circa 744, He Zhizhang (賀知章),《回鄉偶書二首（其一）》, translated by Rewi Alley
    Shàoxiǎo líjiā lǎodà huí, xiāngyīn wú gǎi bìnmáo cuī. [Pinyin]
    A youngster when I left, and now grown old I return; still with my country dialect, but with hair thinning.
    From: 816, Bai Juyi (白居易),《琵琶行》, translated by Yang Xianyi and Gladys Yang
    Ménqián lěngluò chēmǎ xī, lǎodà jiàzuò shāngrén fù. [Pinyin]
    No more carriages and horsemen thronged her gate, And growing old she became a merchant's wife.
    From: 1651, Wu Weiye (吳偉業),《圓圓曲》, translated by Xu Yuanchong
    Cháng xiàng zūn qián bēi lǎodà, yǒurén fūxù shàn hóuwáng. [Pinyin]
    Before a cup of wine we grieved that old we've grown; We're glad she's married General Wu who wears a crown.

##### Synonyms

* 下架 (xia$^5$ jia$^4$) (Xiang)
* 垂老 (chuílǎo) (literary)
* 年歲大／年岁大 (niánsuì dà)
* 年紀大／年纪大 (niánjì dà)
* 年老 (niánlǎo)
* 年長／年长 (niánzhǎng)
* 老 (lǎo)
* 老邁／老迈 (lǎomài) (senile)
* 蒼老／苍老 (cānglǎo)
* 衰老 (shuāilǎo) (senile)

##### Derived terms

* 少壯不努力，老大徒傷悲／少壮不努力，老大徒伤悲 (shàozhuàng bù nǔlì, lǎodà tú shāngbēi)
* 老大不小
* 老大兒／老大儿
* 老大哥 (lǎodàgē)
* 老大姐 (lǎodàjiě)
* 老大娘 (lǎodàniáng)
* 老大媽／老大妈 (lǎodàmā)
* 老大徒傷悲／老大徒伤悲
* 老大無成／老大无成
* 老大爺／老大爷 (lǎodàye)
* 老老大大

### Pronunciation 2

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): lǎodà
    (Zhuyin): ㄌㄠˇ ㄉㄚˋ
* Cantonese (Jyutping): lou$^5$ daai$^{6-2}$
* Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): láu-tōa / lāu-tōa / lǎu-tōa
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: lǎodà
*** Zhuyin: ㄌㄠˇ ㄉㄚˋ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: lǎodà
*** Wade–Giles: lao$^3$-ta$^4$
*** Yale: lǎu-dà
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: laodah
*** Palladius: лаода (laoda)
*** Sinological IPA : /lɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ tä⁵¹/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: lou$^5$ daai$^{6-2}$
*** Yale: lóuh dáai
*** Cantonese Pinyin: lou$^5$ daai$^{6-2}$
*** Guangdong Romanization: lou$^5$ dai$^{6-2}$
*** Sinological IPA : /lou̯¹³ taːi̯²²⁻³⁵/
* Southern Min
** (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese, Singapore)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: láu-tōa
*** Tâi-lô: láu-tuā
*** Phofsit Daibuun: law'doa
*** IPA (Quanzhou): /lau⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ tua⁴¹/
*** IPA (Kaohsiung): /lau⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ tua³³/
*** IPA (Singapore): /lau⁴²⁻²⁴ tua²²/
*** IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou): /lau⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tua²²/
*** IPA (Taipei): /lau⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tua³³/
** (Hokkien: Xiamen, Zhangzhou, variant in Taiwan, Singapore)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: lāu-tōa
*** Tâi-lô: lāu-tuā
*** Phofsit Daibuun: lauxdoa
*** IPA (Kaohsiung): /lau³³⁻²¹ tua³³/
*** IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Singapore): /lau²²⁻²¹ tua²²/
*** IPA (Taipei): /lau³³⁻¹¹ tua³³/
** (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: lǎu-tōa
*** Tâi-lô: lǎu-tuā
*** IPA (Quanzhou): /lau²² tua⁴¹/

#### Noun

老大
* eldest among the siblings
* chief; boss; leader; ringleader

##### Synonyms

* (boss):
| Variety | Location | Words |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 老闆 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Beijing | 掌櫃的 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 老闆, 頭家 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Harbin | 掌櫃的 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Malaysia | 老闆 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 老闆 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Jinan | 老闆 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Yantai (Muping) | 老闆 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xining | 老闆 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xuzhou | 老闆兒, 老闆, 掌櫃的 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Yinchuan | 老闆 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Ürümqi | 掌櫃底 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Chengdu | 老闆兒, 老闆 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Chongqing | 老闆兒 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Wuhan | 老闆 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Guiyang | 老闆 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Liuzhou | 老闆 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Nanjing | 老闆 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Yangzhou | 老闆 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 事頭, 老細, 老闆, 波士, 阿頭 boss |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 事頭, 老細, 老闆, 波士, 阿頭 boss, 老頂 boss |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (Kam Tin Weitou) | 事頭 |
| Cantonese | Macau | 事頭, 老細 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Panyu) | 事頭 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu) | 事頭 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Conghua) | 事頭 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Zengcheng) | 事頭 |
| Cantonese | Foshan | 事頭 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai) | 事頭 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Shunde) | 事頭 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Sanshui) | 事頭 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming) | 老闆 |
| Cantonese | Zhongshan (Shiqi) | 事頭, 老細 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Qianshan, Xiangzhou) | 事頭 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; Tanka) | 事頭 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Doumen) | 事頭 |
| Cantonese | Jiangmen (Baisha) | 事頭 |
| Cantonese | Jiangmen (Xinhui) | 事頭 |
| Cantonese | Taishan | 事頭, 老細, 老闆 |
| Cantonese | Kaiping (Chikan) | 事頭, 老細 |
| Cantonese | Enping (Niujiang) | 事頭 |
| Cantonese | Heshan (Yayao) | 老闆, 事頭 |
| Cantonese | Dongguan | 事頭, 老細, 老闆, 波士 |
| Cantonese | Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an) | 事頭 |
| Cantonese | Yangjiang | 老闆, 事頭 |
| Cantonese | Nanning | 老闆, 事頭 |
| Cantonese | Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu) | 老闆, 事頭, 阿頭 boss |
| Cantonese | Penang (Guangfu) | 老細 |
| Cantonese | Singapore (Guangfu) | 老細, 老闆 |
| Cantonese | Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu) | 老細 |
| Gan | Nanchang | 老闆 |
| Gan | Lichuan | 老闆 |
| Gan | Pingxiang | 老闆 |
| Hakka | Meixian | 頭家, 老闆 |
| Hakka | Huizhou (Huicheng Bendihua) | 老闆 |
| Hakka | Dongguan (Qingxi) | 事頭 |
| Hakka | Shenzhen (Shatoujiao) | 事頭 |
| Hakka | Wuhua (Shuizhai) | 老闆 |
| Hakka | Wuhua (Huacheng) | 老闆, 店家 shopkeeper |
| Hakka | Wuhua (Changbu) | 老闆 |
| Hakka | Wuhua (Mianyang) | 老闆 |
| Hakka | Guangzhou (Lütian, Conghua) | 老闆 |
| Hakka | Jiexi | 頭家 |
| Hakka | Luhe | 老闆 |
| Hakka | Yudu | 老闆 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (N. Sixian) | 頭家 |
| Hakka | Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) | 頭家 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) | 頭家 |
| Hakka | Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) | 頭家 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) | 頭家 |
| Hakka | Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) | 頭家 |
| Hakka | Kuching (Hepo) | 頭家 |
| Jin | Taiyuan | 老闆, 掌櫃, 掌櫃的 |
| Jin | Xinzhou | 掌櫃子 |
| Northern Min | Jian'ou | 老闆 |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou | 老闆 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen (Tong'an) | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Quanzhou | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Jinjiang | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Yongchun | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Zhao'an | 頭家, 老闆 |
| Southern Min | Taipei | 老闆, 頭家 |
| Southern Min | New Taipei (Sanxia) | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Kaohsiung | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Yilan | 老闆, 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Changhua (Lukang) | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Taichung | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Tainan | 老闆, 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Hsinchu | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Kinmen | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Penghu (Magong) | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Penang (Hokkien) | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hokkien) | 頭家, 老大 |
| Southern Min | Manila (Hokkien) | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Chaozhou | 頭家, 老闆 |
| Southern Min | Shantou | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Shantou (Chenghai) | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Jieyang | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Bangkok (Teochew) | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Johor Bahru (Teochew) | 頭家, 阿頭 boss |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Teochew) | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Leizhou | 老闆 |
| Southern Min | Wenchang | 頭家 |
| Southern Min | Haikou | 頭家, 老闆 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hainanese) | 頭家 |
| Zhongshan Min | Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi) | 老闆 |
| Southern Pinghua | Nanning (Tingzi) | 老闆 |
| Wu | Shanghai | 老闆 |
| Wu | Shanghai (Chongming) | 老闆 |
| Wu | Suzhou | 老闆 |
| Wu | Danyang | 老闆 |
| Wu | Hangzhou | 老闆 |
| Wu | Ningbo | 老闆, 冷士 dated |
| Wu | Wenzhou | 老闆 |
| Wu | Jinhua | 老闆兒 |
| Xiang | Changsha | 老闆 |
| Xiang | Loudi | 老闆 |

##### Derived terms

* 黑幫老大／黑帮老大
* 龍頭老大／龙头老大

### Pronunciation 3

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): lǎodà
    (Zhuyin): ㄌㄠˇ ㄉㄚˋ
* Cantonese (Jyutping): lou$^5$ daai$^{6-2}$
* Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): láu-tāi
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: lǎodà
*** Zhuyin: ㄌㄠˇ ㄉㄚˋ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: lǎodà
*** Wade–Giles: lao$^3$-ta$^4$
*** Yale: lǎu-dà
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: laodah
*** Palladius: лаода (laoda)
*** Sinological IPA : /lɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ tä⁵¹/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: lou$^5$ daai$^{6-2}$
*** Yale: lóuh dáai
*** Cantonese Pinyin: lou$^5$ daai$^{6-2}$
*** Guangdong Romanization: lou$^5$ dai$^{6-2}$
*** Sinological IPA : /lou̯¹³ taːi̯²²⁻³⁵/
* Southern Min
** (Hokkien: Xiamen, General Taiwanese)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: láu-tāi
*** Tâi-lô: láu-tāi
*** Phofsit Daibuun: law'dai
*** IPA (Taipei): /lau⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tai³³/
*** IPA (Xiamen): /lau⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tai²²/
*** IPA (Kaohsiung): /lau⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ tai³³/

#### Noun

老大
* (dialectal) chief crewman of a boat

##### Derived terms

* 船老大

### Pronunciation 4

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): lǎodà
    (Zhuyin): ㄌㄠˇ ㄉㄚˋ
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: lǎodà
*** Zhuyin: ㄌㄠˇ ㄉㄚˋ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: lǎodà
*** Wade–Giles: lao$^3$-ta$^4$
*** Yale: lǎu-dà
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: laodah
*** Palladius: лаода (laoda)
*** Sinological IPA : /lɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ tä⁵¹/

#### Adverb

老大
* (colloquial, usually in the negative) very

##### Synonyms

* 不要太 (bùyàotài) (slang)
* 十分 (shífēn)
* 危險／危险 (Wu)
* 壞／坏 (huài)
* 孔 (kǒng) (literary, or in compounds)
* 很 (hěn)
* 極其／极其 (jíqí)
* 極度／极度 (jídù)
* 極為／极为 (jíwéi)
* 極端／极端 (jíduān)
* 滾／滚 (gǔn) (literary, or in compounds)
* 異常／异常 (yìcháng)
* 良
* 超 (chāo)
* 非常 (fēicháng)
* 頗／颇 (pō) (literary)
* 頗為／颇为 (pōwéi) (literary)

##### Derived terms

* 老大吃驚／老大吃惊 (lǎodà chījīng)
* 老大難／老大难