<p>大 or 小 before a classifier describes the size or amount of it</p>
<p>Example:</p>
<p>一堆 = a pile of; 一大堆 = a large pile of;  一小堆 = a small pile of</p>
<p>堆 is not a measurement unit but a description of a form. The adjective 大 or 小 roughly describes the object's size in this form</p>
<p>In the case of 一大亩, since 亩 is a measurement unit, there is no difference in size between 一亩田 and 一亩地; 這一亩 and 那一亩. The adjective '大' (big) is, therefore, a subjective description for emphasis (the speaker considers 一亩 is a big area)</p>
<ul>
<li><p>一 (number)</p>
</li>
<li><p>大 (size/ amount)</p>
</li>
<li><p>亩 (classifier; measurement unit)</p>
</li>
<li><p>一亩田 = one mu of field (the speaker is stating the actual size of the field, which is 667 square meters)</p>
</li>
<li><p>一大亩田 = one big mu of field (the speaker consider 667 square meters is a big area)</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>Another classifier for 田 is 片, which is not a measurement unit:</p>
<p>一片田 = a field</p>
<p>一大片田 = a large field</p>
<p>(大 or 小 roughly describes the size of the classifier 片)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-11T09:01:36.810Z
similarly, in English you could say "a huge ton of iron" but a ton cannot be big, small, or huge, it can only ever be a ton. so the "huge" is emphatic
小奥利奥
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-11T09:32:24.253Z
@小奥利奥 That's why saying 我家有一大畝田，你家只有一小畝田 doesn't make sense because it is illogical to consider 一畝 big and small at the same time.
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-10T09:22:53.827Z
2020-12-12T20:51:58.167Z
2020-12-12T20:51:58.167Z
Tang Ho
<p>亩 here is a classifier for fields, so 一大亩瓜田 translates to &quot; a large chunk of melon field&quot; or more concisely &quot;a large field of melons&quot;. 大 comes before 亩 because it's describing the chunk (of field) not the melons.</p>
<p>亩 also has a more common meaning as a specific measuring area metric, roughly a Chinese acre. It wouldn't make sense to modify the quantity of a metric unit, just as you wouldn't say &quot;a big acre&quot; or &quot;a small acre&quot;.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-11T03:13:50.740Z
2020-12-11T03:13:50.740Z
Hao Lu
<p>I was reading a short story on Du Chinese and came across this phrase 一大亩瓜田。
The app described 亩 as a classifier for fields.</p>
<p>I haven't learned yet of the adjective coming before the classifier. Is this just limited to certain adjectives or situations? Is it because 大 is describing the whole unit of the melon field, or some other reason I'm not aware?</p>
<p>Thanks for your help.</p>

<measure-word><adjectives>
Adjective before classifier
# Adjective before classifier

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-12-10)

I was reading a short story on Du Chinese and came across this phrase 一大亩瓜田。
The app described 亩 as a classifier for fields.

I haven't learned yet of the adjective coming before the classifier. Is this just limited to certain adjectives or situations? Is it because 大 is describing the whole unit of the melon field, or some other reason I'm not aware?

Thanks for your help.

**Tags:** measure-word, adjectives


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-12-10. Score: 3

大 or 小 before a classifier describes the size or amount of it

Example:

一堆 = a pile of; 一大堆 = a large pile of; 一小堆 = a small pile of

堆 is not a measurement unit but a description of a form. The adjective 大 or 小 roughly describes the object's size in this form

In the case of 一大亩, since 亩 is a measurement unit, there is no difference in size between 一亩田 and 一亩地; 這一亩 and 那一亩. The adjective '大' (big) is, therefore, a subjective description for emphasis (the speaker considers 一亩 is a big area)

* 一 (number)
* 大 (size/ amount)
* 亩 (classifier; measurement unit)
* 一亩田 = one mu of field (the speaker is stating the actual size of the field, which is 667 square meters)
* 一大亩田 = one big mu of field (the speaker consider 667 square meters is a big area)

Another classifier for 田 is 片, which is not a measurement unit:

一片田 = a field

一大片田 = a large field

(大 or 小 roughly describes the size of the classifier 片)

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: similarly, in English you could say "a huge ton of iron" but a ton cannot be big, small, or huge, it can only ever be a ton. so the "huge" is emphatic  
> **username_1**: @username_2 That's why saying 我家有一大畝田，你家只有一小畝田 doesn't make sense because it is illogical to consider 一畝 big and small at the same time.  

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### Answer by username_3 on 2020-12-11. Score: 0

亩 here is a classifier for fields, so 一大亩瓜田 translates to " a large chunk of melon field" or more concisely "a large field of melons". 大 comes before 亩 because it's describing the chunk (of field) not the melons.

亩 also has a more common meaning as a specific measuring area metric, roughly a Chinese acre. It wouldn't make sense to modify the quantity of a metric unit, just as you wouldn't say "a big acre" or "a small acre".


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