HSK 4 grammar · pattern
大A大B
大A大B — on a grand / intense scale
Pattern
+ + +
A and B are one-syllable words of the same kind
( ) can be left out · other words may come before, between and after
How it works
大A大B drops two related one-syllable words into the frame 大…大… to stress that something is done on a big scale or to a great degree — 大鱼大肉 "lavish food", 大喊大叫 "shouting loudly". A and B are parallel and reinforce each other.
Examples
过年时家家都大鱼大肉。
Guònián shí jiājiā dōu dàyú-dàròu.
At New Year every family lays on a lavish spread.
他一着急就大喊大叫。
Tā yì zháojí jiù dàhǎn-dàjiào.
The moment he panics he shouts and yells.
别在办公室大吵大闹。
Bié zài bàngōngshì dàchǎo-dànào.
Don't make a big racket in the office.
Related
See it in a story
In the app, 大A大B is underlined wherever it appears in the stories you read, and practised with sentences from them. Free.