扩大 (kuò dà) is a verb meaning 'to expand' or 'to enlarge'. It combines two characters: 扩 (kuò), which means 'to extend' or 'to broaden', and 大 (dà), meaning 'big' or 'large'. Together, they express the idea of making something larger in scale, scope, size, or influence. This word is commonly used in formal and semi-formal contexts — such as business, education, policy, and technology — to describe growth in area, membership, capacity, or impact.

Unlike more colloquial verbs like 变大 (biàn dà, 'to get bigger'), 扩大 emphasizes intentional, often planned expansion — for example, expanding operations, markets, or facilities. It frequently appears with objects (e.g., 扩大规模, 扩大影响) and is often followed by 把 or 被 constructions in passive or causative sentences. It does not refer to physical enlargement alone (like inflating a balloon); rather, it suggests structural or systemic growth across domains like organizations, knowledge, or relationships.