大: the kanji for big
大 is a JLPT N5 kanji that means big. Below are its readings, 23 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
大 is written in 3 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
大 has 5 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 21 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
ダイ (dai)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 大学だいがく · daigaku | university |
| 大丈夫だいじょうぶ · daijōbu | all right; OK |
| 大事だいじ · daiji | important |
| 大好きだいすき · daisuki | love; really like |
| 拡大かくだい · kakudai | expansion |
| 最大さいだい · saidai | the largest; maximum |
| 大臣だいじん · daijin | (government) minister |
| 大小だいしょう · daishō | large and small |
タイ (tai)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 大切たいせつ · taisetsu | important; precious |
| 大会たいかい · taikai | tournament; convention |
| 大変たいへん · taihen | hard; very |
| 大使館たいしかん · taishikan | embassy |
| 大したたいした · taishita | great; significant |
おお (oo)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 大雨おおあめ · ōame | heavy rain |
| 大型おおがた · ōgata | large-sized |
| 大通りおおどおり · ōdōri | main street |
| 大勢おおぜい · ōzei | a lot of people |
| 大阪おおさか · Ōsaka | Osaka |
おおきい (ookii)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 大きいおおきい · ōkii | big |
| 大きなおおきな · ōkina | big |
おおいに (ooini)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 大いにおおいに · ōini | greatly |
Special readings to learn as whole words
These words use 大, but their readings do not follow the readings above. The Jōyō Kanji Table lists them as special readings. Learn each one as a whole word.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 大人おとな · otona | adult |
| 大和やまと · Yamato | Yamato (an old name for Japan) |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 大丈夫ですか。Daijōbu desu ka.Are you all right?
- これはとても大事な会議です。Kore wa totemo daiji na kaigi desu.This is a very important meeting.
- 大阪の支社に行きます。Ōsaka no shisha ni ikimasu.I'm going to the Osaka office.
- 今週は大変でした。Konshū wa taihen deshita.This week was tough.
- 大使館でビザを申請しました。Taishikan de biza o shinsei shimashita.I applied for a visa at the embassy.
- 大きい声で話してください。Ōkii koe de hanashite kudasai.Please speak up.
Questions about 大
How many strokes does 大 have?
大 is written in 3 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 大?
The on readings are dai (ダイ), tai (タイ). The kun readings are oo (おお), ookii (おおきい), ooini (おおいに).
What does 大丈夫 mean?
大丈夫 (daijōbu) means "all right" or "OK." You can ask 大丈夫ですか (daijōbu desu ka, Are you all right?) or answer 大丈夫です (daijōbu desu, I'm fine).
What JLPT level is 大?
N5. The JLPT does not publish official kanji lists, so this level is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used through 2009.
About the JLPT level
The JLPT does not publish official lists of kanji for each level. The level on this page is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used for the test through 2009. The JLPT states that the current N5 is designed to match the former Level 4.
More JLPT N5 kanji
Things and descriptions
Executive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.
Sources
- Jōyō Kanji Table (常用漢字表), Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, 2010: readings and special readings of 大
- JLPT Frequently Asked Questions, The Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services: how current levels match the former levels
- Stroke order diagrams are based on KanjiVG by Ulrich Apel, used under CC BY-SA 3.0. The diagrams on this page are shared under the same license.