🇬🇧🇨🇳 mainland - 大陆 : English Lesson

Meaning of "mainland" ("大陆"), detailed definition, and a short video lesson below.

The mainland is the big main piece of land that makes up a country or continent, not counting the little islands around it. If a country has lots of tiny islands, the mainland is the large part where most people usually live, work, and go to school.

Watch and listen to this English flashcard to understand the word in more detail, with an easy example sentence.

On the island, my cousin said, "The mainland has malls, traffic, and Wi‑Fi," like he was listing magical treasures.

As soon as we reached the mainland, my little brother yelled, "Civilization!" and ran straight into the nearest ice‑cream shop.

I left my homework on the mainland, so my excuse became, "Sorry, it’s across an entire ocean."

The tiny island we picnicked on was so small that if you sneezed too hard, you might accidentally jump back to the mainland.

Some countries have millions more people on the mainland than on their islands.

On a small island, Ana watched the boat leave for the mainland. The island smelled of salt; the mainland promised a noisy school and strange food. She kept a small map of the mainland and waved every night until the boat reached the mainland shore. On the sixth week she ran from the island and cried, "Welcome back, mainland!"

This word is at the C1 level, which means it’s part of advanced English. It’s used in sophisticated conversations, professional settings, and academic discussions. Words at this level help you express yourself fluently and precisely in nuanced situations.

Expanding your English vocabulary is one of the best ways to improve your pronunciation, spelling, and confidence in English. Watch the video above to memorize the word, understand its meaning, and see example sentences in action. Discover related words to grow your vocabulary naturally. Add words to your playlist for stress-free, effective learning—anytime, anywhere! Watch, learn, repeat.