Skip to content
Stroke order, etymology and audio for every word.Start learning
扩大 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
扩大kuòdàto expandHSK 5, v, 9 strokes, rank #6204, Hard
扩大kuòdàto enlargeHSK 5, v, 9 strokes, rank #6204, Hard
扩大kuòdàto broaden one's scopeHSK 5, v, 9 strokes, rank #6204, Hard
kuòdà(kuo4da4)kuo da T4
  1. 1to expand
  2. 2to enlarge
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

扩大(擴大)kuòdà(kuo4da4)

扩大 (kuò dà) means 'to expand' or 'to enlarge,' commonly used in contexts such as business, personal development, and geographical areas. It conveys the idea of increasing size, scope, or influence, and can be applied both literally (e.g., expanding a physical space) and metaphorically (e.g., broadening one's knowledge or perspective).

Strokes9Frequency#6204DifficultyHard
Cultural note

In Chinese society, the concept of expansion is often reflected in the rapid growth of cities and businesses, symbolizing progress and modernization. The term is frequently used in discussions about economic development and globalization.

Memory tip

Imagine a 'kuo' (像个宽) kite flying high and wide, expanding its reach across the sky while 'da' (大) means big. Picture the kite getting bigger and bigger as it soars, just like ideas or businesses can grow and expand.

Meanings of 扩大

kuòdà(kuo4da4)
1to expand
2to enlarge
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 扩大 means.

About 扩大

扩大Simplified
擴大Traditional
9Strokes
—Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#6204Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L5IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1

Podcast: 扩大

JasonAmy

Podcast: 扩大

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI study notes for 扩大

Quick Contrast

扩大 (kuòdà) vs 增加 (zēngjiā) — use 扩大 for physical or metaphorical expansion, while 增加 is more about numerical increase.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 扩大 with 增加 (zēng jiā), which means 'to increase' but does not imply enlargement. The verb is often used in formal contexts, such as business reports and academic discussions. Common collocations include 扩大市场 (kuò dà shì chǎng) meaning 'to expand the market'.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 5 word, 扩大 connects to other verbs related to growth and change, such as 增加 (to increase) and 扩展 (to extend). Focus on using it in different contexts to understand its applications better.

Common Mistakes

Learners often misuse 扩大 when they actually mean 增加, as in saying '扩大我的知识' when it should be '增加我的知识' (to increase my knowledge). Remember, 扩大 emphasizes enlargement or broadening, while 增加 focuses on the quantity.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 扩大

Premium — Locked

Tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 扩大, say it back, see your pitch against the model voice, and earn XP towards mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsPitch drawing+5 XP
Get Pro to unlock

Jason Explains 扩大 to you

Let me explain 扩大 for you

Make it yours

Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 扩大 through them.

Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.

How well do you know 扩大?

Example

Learning Lab

Knowing 扩大 is seven skills, not one.

Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.

  • MeaningFree
  • CharacterFree
  • PinyinFree
  • TonePro
  • ListeningPro
  • SpeakingPro
  • WritingPro
See the Learning Lab Three facets free · no card needed

Component characters

扩kuòenlarge
HSK 76 strokes扌
View full entry
大dàbig
HSK 13 strokes大
View full entry

How to say to expand in Chinese

“to expand” in Chinese is扩大kuòdà

扩大 (kuò dà) means 'to expand' or 'to enlarge,' commonly used in contexts such as business, personal development, and geographical areas. It conveys the idea of increasing size, scope, or influence, and can be applied both literally (e.g., expanding a physical space) and metaphorically (e.g., broadening one's knowledge or perspective).

When to use 扩大

Be careful not to confuse 扩大 with 增加 (zēng jiā), which means 'to increase' but does not imply enlargement. The verb is often used in formal contexts, such as business reports and academic discussions. Common collocations include 扩大市场 (kuò dà shì chǎng) meaning 'to expand the market'.

扩大 or something close to it

扩大 (kuòdà) vs 增加 (zēngjiā) — use 扩大 for physical or metaphorical expansion, while 增加 is more about numerical increase.

What learners get wrong

Learners often misuse 扩大 when they actually mean 增加, as in saying '扩大我的知识' when it should be '增加我的知识' (to increase my knowledge). Remember, 扩大 emphasizes enlargement or broadening, while 增加 focuses on the quantity.

Write 扩大

扩
大

Practice writing 扩大 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar patterns of 扩大

扩大 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

卢佩斯库在20码处射门得分,接着巴林特将比分____为4比0。

Lupescu scored from 20 yards and then Balint made it 4-

Example sentences for 扩大 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
卢佩斯库在20码处射门得分,接着巴林特将比分扩大为4比0。

lú pèi Sī kù zài20 mǎ chǔ shè mén défēn, jiēzhe Bā lín tè jiāng bǐfēn kuòdà wèi4 bǐ0。

Lupescu scored from 20 yards and then Balint made it 4-
2
在过去的17年中,收藏的规模不断扩大。

zài guòqù de17 nián zhōng, shōucáng de guīmó búduàn kuòdà。

The collection has been built up over the last seventeen years.
3
在随后的10年中,两个公司的规模扩大为原来的10倍。

zài suíhòu de10 nián zhōng, liǎng gè gōngsī de guīmó kuòdà wèi yuánlái de10 bèi。

The two companies grew tenfold in the ensuing ten years.
4
从那里开始,调查范围迅速扩大,有几人已经被逮捕。

cóng nàlǐ kāishǐ, diàochá fànwéi xùnsù kuòdà, yǒu jǐ rén yǐjīng bèi dàibǔ。

The investigation snowballed from there and has since led to several arrests.
5
这个系正在为扩大招生做好准备.

zhège jì zhèngzài wèi kuòdà zhāoshēng zuò hǎo zhǔnbèi.

The Department is gearing up for increased intake of students.
6
11月美国的贸易赤字扩大到75.9亿美元。

11 yuè měi guó de màoyì chìzì kuòdà dào75.9 yì měiyuán。

The US trade deficit widened to $59 billion in November.
7
根治性外阴切除术应该被扩大局部切除术取代?

gēnzhì xìng wài yīn qiēchú shù yīnggāi bèi kuòdà júbù qiēchú shù qǔdài?

Should radical vulvectomy be replaced by wide local excision for vulval cancers?
8
胸部 X 光片显示出心脏稍有扩大.

xiōngbù X guāng piàn xiǎnshì chū xīnzàng shāo yǒu kuòdà.

The chest X - rays showed moderate enlargement of the heart.
9
化学浆料的其它性质可能扩大它们的用途, 使织物的可染性得到提高.

huàxué jiāng liào de qí tā xìngzhì kěnéng kuòdà tāmen de yòngtú, shǐ zhī wù de kě rǎn xìng dédào tígāo.

Other properties could be built into the sizing chemicals to increase their usefulness, dyeablity.
10
不同的州或企业集团可以联合起来以扩大市场。

bùtóng de zhōu huò qǐyè jítuán kěyǐ liánhé qǐlái yǐ kuòdà shìchǎng。

Different states or groups can combine to enlarge their markets.

Ask Jason

Have a question about 扩大?

Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.

Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.

Frequently asked questions about 扩大

Yes, while it is commonly used in formal contexts, it can also be used informally when talking about personal growth or experiences.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 扩大?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.

A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.

See the Learning Lab