Definition
四大 (sì dà) is a noun with two distinct historical contexts. In Buddhism it refers to the four great elements (地 earth, 水 water, 火 fire, 风 wind). In PRC political discourse it refers to the 'four freedoms' (大鸣、大放、大字报、大辩论) from the Hundred Flowers Movement. The term is also used productively as a prefix in many set phrases like 四大发明 (the four great inventions), so its specific meaning depends heavily on context.
n.
(Buddhism) the four elements (earth, water, fire, wind)(PRC history) the four freedoms (大鸣, 大放, 大字报, 大辩论)
Examples
- 四大（、、、）。Fójiào rènwéi sì dà (dì, shuǐ, huǒ, fēng) gòuchéng le shìjiè.Buddhism believes that the four elements (earth, water, fire, wind) constitute the world.
- 四大。Liǎojiě sì dà shì xuéxí fóxué de jīchǔ.Understanding the four elements is the foundation of studying Buddhism.
- ，四大。Shàng shìjì wǔliù shí niándài, sì dà céng shì zhòngyào de zhèngzhì kǒuhào.In the 1950s and 1960s, the four freedoms were an important political slogan.
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