<p>When you use <code>洲</code> or <code>大洲</code>, it is usually in a political or cultural sense. </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>五大洲 He has visited five continents.</p>
  
  <p>洲际导弹 DPRK got ICBM? WTF!</p>
</blockquote>

<p>If you use <code>大陆</code> to refer continents, you usually emphasize on the geographical sense:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>大陆漂移 The Tibet plateau is formed by continental drift.</p>
  
  <p>大陆架 The biosphere on continental shelves is easily affected by human activities.</p>
  
  <p>欧亚大陆 Neanderthals roamed the Eurasia continent a hundred thousand years ago.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-02T12:02:04.163Z
2014-11-02T12:02:04.163Z
Wang Dingwei
<p>As a Chinese native speaker, if you want to express "He went to five continents this summer", I will say "他在这个夏天去了五大洲。“Please note that "五大洲" and “五个大陆” are very different. "五大洲" means five commonly recognized continents, including Asia, Africa,Europe... But "大陆" means kind of mainland, for example, "Mainland China" means "中国大陆地区"<br>
Hopes to help you!</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-10-31T09:11:53.333Z
2014-10-31T09:11:53.333Z
allenwang
<p>这个夏天他去了五个洲。(闲聊天)/这个夏天他去了五大洲（较官方）。</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-10-16T09:15:21.403Z
2014-10-16T09:15:21.403Z
Peng  Zup
<p>I've been trying to figure out how to refer to continents as a concept as opposed to specific continents themselves. For example, I know that the continent of Europe would be translated as 欧洲大陆, or 非洲大陆.</p>

<p>But how do I refer to continents as a whole, countable thing. Like "He went to five continents this summer?"</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-10-11T21:58:15.710Z
I would say 五大洲.
user58955
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-10-11T22:25:33.860Z
@user58955 I disagree. 五大洲 is a proper collective noun meaning "*the* Five Continents" traditionally recognized, namely Asia, Europe, Africa, America (considered as one continent), and Oceania. If the sense required is simply five of the continents (of the seven continents currently commonly recognized, say), I would say that 五個大陸 is perfectly acceptable.
Marc
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-10-11T22:53:05.407Z
@Marc Point taken. If you are referring to five of the seven continents (in which case continent is called 洲), it's better to say 五个(大)洲.
user58955
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-10-12T14:53:47.850Z
So，saying "他这个暑假去了五个大陆“ would be understandable？
Stephen
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-10-16T01:14:08.653Z
@Stephen No. 大陆 is specifically referring to the continent as opposed to island (e.g. "continental breakfast" vs "English breakfast"). I think user58955's answer fits this context best.
Timothy Gu
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-10-17T03:15:51.040Z
@Timothy_G No, it's OK to use 大陆 here, though 五块大陆 is more idiomatic. BTW, if OP actually means the traditional "the five continents", the translation I suggest is 他这个夏天游遍了五洲。
xzczd
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-10-17T03:54:48.490Z
@xzczd Fair enough.
Timothy Gu
<vocabulary>
How do you refer to continents in the abstract?
# How do you refer to continents in the abstract?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-10-11)

I've been trying to figure out how to refer to continents as a concept as opposed to specific continents themselves. For example, I know that the continent of Europe would be translated as 欧洲大陆, or 非洲大陆.

But how do I refer to continents as a whole, countable thing. Like "He went to five continents this summer?"

**Tags:** vocabulary
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I would say 五大洲.  
> **username_2**: @user58955 I disagree. 五大洲 is a proper collective noun meaning "*the* Five Continents" traditionally recognized, namely Asia, Europe, Africa, America (considered as one continent), and Oceania. If the sense required is simply five of the continents (of the seven continents currently commonly recognized, say), I would say that 五個大陸 is perfectly acceptable.  
> **username_1**: @Marc Point taken. If you are referring to five of the seven continents (in which case continent is called 洲), it's better to say 五个(大)洲.  
> **username_0**: So，saying "他这个暑假去了五个大陆“ would be understandable？  
> **username_3**: @Stephen No. 大陆 is specifically referring to the continent as opposed to island (e.g. "continental breakfast" vs "English breakfast"). I think user58955's answer fits this context best.  
> **username_4**: @Timothy_G No, it's OK to use 大陆 here, though 五块大陆 is more idiomatic. BTW, if OP actually means the traditional "the five continents", the translation I suggest is 他这个夏天游遍了五洲。  
> **username_3**: @xzczd Fair enough.  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2014-11-02. Score: 1

When you use `洲` or `大洲`, it is usually in a political or cultural sense.

> 五大洲 He has visited five continents.
>
> 洲际导弹 DPRK got ICBM? WTF!

If you use `大陆` to refer continents, you usually emphasize on the geographical sense:

> 大陆漂移 The Tibet plateau is formed by continental drift.
>
> 大陆架 The biosphere on continental shelves is easily affected by human activities.
>
> 欧亚大陆 Neanderthals roamed the Eurasia continent a hundred thousand years ago.


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### Answer by username_6 on 2014-10-31. Score: 1

As a Chinese native speaker, if you want to express "He went to five continents this summer", I will say "他在这个夏天去了五大洲。“Please note that "五大洲" and “五个大陆” are very different. "五大洲" means five commonly recognized continents, including Asia, Africa,Europe... But "大陆" means kind of mainland, for example, "Mainland China" means "中国大陆地区"  
Hopes to help you!


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### Answer by username_7 on 2014-10-16. Score: 1

这个夏天他去了五个洲。(闲聊天)/这个夏天他去了五大洲（较官方）。


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