Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 大 depicts a person standing with arms and legs outstretched, representing the concept of 'big' or 'great.' In its earliest oracle bone script form from the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600-1046 BCE), it clearly showed a frontal view of a human figure emphasizing size and stature. Over centuries, the character evolved through bronze script, seal script, and clerical script, gradually simplifying into the modern three-stroke form. The character's fundamental meaning of 'large' or 'great' has remained consistent throughout Chinese history, and it appears in countless compound words and philosophical concepts, including 大人 (great person), 大学 (great learning), and 大方 (generous). Arrived in Japan: The character 大 was introduced to Japan along with other Chinese characters during the 5th century CE, primarily through Buddhist texts and cultural exchange with the Korean peninsula. It became firmly established in Japanese writing during the Asuka period (538-710 CE) and is read as 'dai' or 'ō' in Japanese, appearing in fundamental vocabulary like 大人 (otona - adult) and 大学 (daigaku - university).