Comparison of "大致" and "大体"

In Chinese, both "大致" (dàzhì) and "大体" (dàtǐ) express the idea of approximation or general description, but they are used in different contexts and carry slightly different nuances.

大致 (dàzhì)

"大致" is typically used to express a general or approximate estimation, a schematic description, or a general idea of something. It emphasizes the roughness or evaluative nature of a situation or information.

• He gave me a brief general introduction to the project. - 他给了我这个项目的大致介绍。(Tā gěile wǒ zhège xiàngmù de dàzhì jièshào.)
• This description gives you a rough idea of what happened. - 这个描述大致让你明白了发生了什么。(Zhège miáoshù dàzhì ràng nǐ míngbáile fāshēngle shénme.)

大体 (dàtǐ)

"大体" also means a general or approximate description, but it is more often used to denote general characteristics or main features. This word is used for the general denotation or classification of information.

• He briefly outlined the general features of the project. - 他简要地概述了项目的大体情况。(Tā jiǎnyào de gàishùle xiàngmù de dàtǐ qíngkuàng.)
• These rules provide a general idea of what is expected. - 这些规则大体上描述了预期的情况。(Zhèxiē guīzé dàtǐ shàng miáoshùle yùqí de qíngkuàng.)

Main Differences

• Estimation vs. Description: "大致" typically emphasizes an evaluative or approximate nature, while "大体" is more often used for a general description or classification of information.
• Approximation vs. Main Features: "大致" indicates a general approximation or evaluative characteristic, whereas "大体" denotes general characteristics or main features of something.