大
large · big
Details
Stroke Order
Component Breakdown
overlaid: 一 + 人
Cultural Context
Etymology
Pictograph of person standing with arms and legs spread wide.
Symbolism
Large, great, important. '大' is one of most positive prefixes in Japanese.
Related Culture & Scenes
- — Great presence
Words & Expressions
Four-Character Compounds
過大評価
かだいひょうか
overestimation; overrating; overvaluing; overestimation
誇大妄想
こだいもうそう
megalomania; delusions of grandeur; megalomania
後生大事
ごしょうだいじ
with religious zeal; with utmost devotion; take great care of; with religious zeal
公明正大
こうめいせいだい
fair; just and upright; open and honest; fair
針小棒大
しんしょうぼうだい
exaggeration; making a mountain out of a molehill; exaggeration
大器晩成
たいきばんせい
great talents mature late; great talents mature late
大義名分
たいぎめいぶん
just cause; good reason; pretext; just cause
大言壮語
たいげんそうご
big talk; boasting; bragging; big talk
大同小異
だいどうしょうい
essentially the same with only minor differences; essentially the same with only minor differences
夜郎自大
やろうじだい
throwing one's weight around without knowing one's limitations; Yelang thinks too highly of itself; throwing one's weight around without knowing one's limitations
油断大敵
ゆだんたいてき
don't let your guard down; carelessness is the great enemy; danger comes soonest when it is despised; don't let your guard down
大願成就
たいがんじょうじゅ
realization of a great ambition; realisation of a great ambition; realization of a great ambition
広大無辺
こうだいむへん
boundless; infinite; vast; boundless
伴食大臣
ばんしょくだいじん
nominal (figurehead) minister; titular minister; nominal (figurehead) minister
大安吉日
たいあんきちじつ
very auspicious day for all types of occasions (one of the six special days in the Japanese lunisolar calendar); very auspicious day for all types of occasions (one of the six special days in the Japanese lunisolar calendar)
無芸大食
むげいたいしょく
lacking the talent to do anything but eat; lacking the talent to do anything but eat
大同団結
だいどうだんけつ
merger; (presenting a) united front; merger
大所高所
たいしょこうしょ
broad perspective; broad view; broader point of view; broad perspective
大和撫子
やまとなでしこ
large pink (Dianthus superbus var. longicalycinus); woman who displays the feminine virtues of old Japan; large pink (Dianthus superbus var. longicalycinus)
大胆不敵
だいたんふてき
daring; fearless; audacious; daring
大政奉還
たいせいほうかん
restoration of imperial rule; restoration of imperial rule
大慈大悲
だいじだいひ
great compassion and mercy; great compassion and mercy
特筆大書
とくひつたいしょ
(printed or written in) large letters; (printed or written in) large letters
寛仁大度
かんじんたいど
being generous, benevolent and magnanimous in disposition; being generous, benevolent and magnanimous in disposition
気宇壮大
きうそうだい
magnanimous in one's attitude of mind; grand in one's idea or mind-set; magnanimous in one's attitude of mind
大山鳴動
たいざんめいどう
big fuss over nothing; much cry and little wool; much ado about nothing; big fuss over nothing
大喝一声
だいかついっせい
shouting in a thunderous voice; blustering out; shouting in a thunderous voice
大兵肥満
だいひょうひまん
big portly man; big portly man
胆大心小
たんだいしんしょう
being bold and courageous, but also careful and meticulous; being bold and courageous, but also careful and meticulous
着眼大局
ちゃくがんたいきょく
having an eye to the big picture; being aware of the general situation; having an eye to the big picture
破顔大笑
はがんたいしょう
breaking into a hearty laugh; breaking into a hearty laugh
呵々大笑
かかたいしょう
laughing a ringing laugh; having a hearty laugh; roaring with laughter; laughing a ringing laugh
豁然大悟
かつぜんたいご
suddenly seeing the light; achieving full enlightenment all of a sudden; suddenly seeing the light
大盤振舞
おおばんぶるまい
lavish feast; splendid banquet; corporate largess; lavish feast
大死一番
だいしいちばん
exerting oneself to the utmost, prepared to die if necessary; exerting oneself to the utmost, prepared to die if necessary
一大決心
いちだいけっしん
momentous (crucial) decision; momentous (crucial) decision
重厚長大
じゅうこうちょうだい
heavy, thick, long, and big (products, esp. industrial); massive and heavy; heavy (industry); heavy, thick, long, and big (products, esp. industrial)
大廈高楼
たいかこうろう
large building and lofty tower; splendid (magnificent, palatial) structure; large building and lofty tower
大逆無道
たいぎゃくむどう
heinous; treacherous; atrocious; heinous
大悟徹底
たいごてってい
attain divine enlightenment; perceive absolute truth; experience spiritual awakening; attain divine enlightenment
大声疾呼
たいせいしっこ
shout with a loud voice; fulminate; vociferate; shout with a loud voice
八大地獄
はちだいじごく
The Eight Greater Hells; The Eight Greater Hells
雄材大略
ゆうざいたいりゃく
superior talent and strategic wisdom; outstanding abilities and a talent for developing and implementing grand strategies; superior talent and strategic wisdom
翻然大悟
ほんぜんたいご
suddenly seeing the light; it suddenly dawning upon one; suddenly seeing the light
八月大名
はちがつだいみょう
the 8th month (of the lunar calendar) is the quietest for farmers; the 8th month (of the lunar calendar) is the quietest for farmers
Proverbs & Idioms
大は小を兼ねる
だいはしょうをかねる
The greater serves for the lesser
Something larger can substitute for something smaller
大山鳴動して鼠一匹
たいざんめいどうしてねずみいっぴき
The mountain rumbles and produces a mouse
Much ado about nothing
Poetry
大江山 いく野の道の 遠ければ まだふみも見ず 天の橋立
Poem #60 from Hyakunin Isshu