大 means “big”

Watch: Gen and Shibamaru learn 大

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Where 大 comes from

大 is a picture of a person standing with arms and legs spread wide.

Stroke order (3 strokes)

1. 1
2. 2
3. 3

Words with 大

• 

  大きいおおきい

  OOKII

  big

• 

  大学だいがく

  DAIGAKU

  university

• 

  大人おとな

  OTONA

  adult

• 

  大丈夫だいじょうぶ

  DAIJOUBU

  OK / all right

• 

  大切たいせつ

  TAISETSU

  important

The part of each word written with 大 is shown in orange. Audio: the readings from our video.

Reading tips

• 大 has three readings in the video: おお (OO) in 大きい, だい (DAI) in 大学, and たい (TAI) in 大切 (TAISETSU, important).
• 大人 (OTONA, adult) is a special reading. Learn it as one word.
• 大丈夫 (DAIJOUBU) means "OK" or "I'm fine." When someone offers you something, it can also mean "No, thanks."

In the video

• Shibamaru読み方が ちがうねThe readings are different.
• Genほんとだ！You're right!

Example sentences

• 大きい いぬですね。

  OOKII INU DESU NE.

  What a big dog!

• 大学で にほんごを べんきょうしています。

  DAIGAKU DE NIHONGO O BENKYOU SHITE IMASU.

  I study Japanese at university.

Keep learning kanji

• GENKI I Textbook (3rd Edition)

  Beginner

  A popular first textbook used in many university courses. Each lesson has a dialogue, grammar explanations in English, and plenty of practice.

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• Minna no Nihongo Beginner I Main Textbook (2nd Edition)

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  Written entirely in Japanese, with lots of sentence-pattern practice. Use it together with the Translation & Grammar Notes book.

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