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. [Pinyin]

     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. [Pinyin]

     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. [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.

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