老大

老大

1. (literary) old (in age)

   • 少小離家老大回，鄉音無改鬢毛衰。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     少小离家老大回，乡音无改鬓毛衰。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     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.

     A youngster when I left, and now grown old I return;
     still with my country dialect, but with hair thinning.

   • 門前冷落車馬稀，老大嫁作商人婦。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     门前冷落车马稀，老大嫁作商人妇。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     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.

     No more carriages and horsemen thronged her gate,
     And growing old she became a merchant's wife.

   • 長向尊前悲老大，有人夫壻擅侯王。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     长向尊前悲老大，有人夫婿擅侯王。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: 1651, Wu Weiye (吳偉業),《圓圓曲》, translated by Xu Yuanchong

     Cháng xiàng zūn qián bēi lǎodà, yǒurén fūxù shàn hóuwáng.

     Before a cup of wine we grieved that old we've grown;
     We're glad she's married General Wu who wears a crown.

老大

1. eldest among the siblings
2. chief; boss; leader; ringleader

• (boss):

老大

1. (dialectal) chief crewman of a boat

老大

1. (colloquial, usually in the negative) very