大声 (dàshēng) means “loud voice” or “to speak loudly” in Chinese. Let’s unpack the individual characters to understand their origins:

大 (dà):

• Original form: The earliest forms of 大 depicted a person with outstretched arms. This symbolized something large or expansive.
• Evolution of meaning: The core meaning of “big” or “large” has remained consistent throughout its history. It can also signify greatness, importance, or seniority.

声 (shēng):

• Original form: The earliest forms of 声 combined two elements: 斤 (jīn), an axe or tool used to strike, and 攴 (pū), which represents a hand holding a stick or striking something.
• Evolution of meaning: This combination suggests the creation of sound through striking or hitting. 声 originally referred to the sound produced by musical instruments or other objects being struck. It later broadened to encompass any kind of sound, including the human voice.

Combining the characters:

When combined to form 大声, the meaning becomes clear:

• 大 (dà) – big or large
• 声 (shēng) – sound or voice

Therefore, 大声 (dàshēng) literally means “big sound” or “large voice,” which accurately conveys the idea of speaking loudly.

In summary:

The word 大声 combines the simple concept of “big” with the idea of sound produced through striking, ultimately resulting in the word for “loud voice.” It’s a straightforward example of how Chinese characters can combine to create meaningful words that directly relate to their original visual representations.