‘大厦’ (dà shà) literally combines ‘大’ (dà), meaning ‘big’ or ‘large’, and ‘厦’ (shà), an archaic literary word for ‘building’ or ‘mansion’. Together, they form a formal, slightly elevated term for a tall, imposing building—especially modern high-rises like office towers, luxury hotels, or major commercial complexes. It carries connotations of grandeur, scale, and urban sophistication, and is more common in written Chinese, news reports, official signage, and formal speech than in casual daily conversation.

Unlike the neutral and widely used ‘楼’ (lóu) or ‘大楼’ (dà lóu), ‘大厦’ emphasizes height, architectural prominence, and often institutional or corporate significance. It rarely refers to residential apartment buildings unless they are exceptionally tall or prestigious. You’ll see it in names like ‘上海中心大厦’ (Shànghǎi Zhōngxīn Dàshà, Shanghai Tower) or descriptions of city skylines and urban development projects.