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Kotomora

太

plump, thick, big around

JLPTN4StatusJōyō · grade 2FrequencyTop 1,000Strokes4

Readings

On'yomi

  • タイ
  • タ

Kun'yomi

  • ふと.い
  • ふと.る

Nanori

  • おお
  • たか
  • ひろ

Meaning

太 centers on largeness of girth or thickness: something plump, thick, or big around. It describes physical bulk rather than general size.

Most common words using 太

21 of 393
  • 太陽たいよう
    N4

    Sun

  • 太るふとる
    N4

    to put on weight; to gain weight; to grow fat; to get stout

  • 太いふとい
    N5

    fat; thick

  • 太平洋たいへいよう

    Pacific Ocean

  • 太鼓たいこ
    N2

    drum

  • 太ももふともも

    thigh

  • 皇太子こうたいし

    crown prince

  • 太刀たち

    long sword (as opposed to the shorter katana)

  • 太平洋戦争たいへいようせんそう

    Pacific War (1941-1945)

  • 太陽系たいようけい

    solar system

  • 丸太まるた

    log

  • 太古たいこ

    ancient times; prehistoric times

  • 太子たいし

    crown prince

  • 太字ふとじ

    boldface; bold-type; thick characters

  • 太っ腹ふとっぱら

    generous; magnanimous; big-hearted; broad-minded; big-bellied

  • 皇太后こうたいごう

    Empress Dowager; Queen Mother

  • 義太夫ぎだゆう

    gidayū (type of reciting used in the puppet theater)

  • 太陽電池たいようでんち
    N1

    solar cell

  • 太り肉ふとりじし

    corpulent; fat; chubby

  • 皇太子妃こうたいしひ

    crown princess

  • プー太郎プーたろう

    unemployed person; vagabond; floater; vagrant

Explore all words using 太 →

Study

Etymology

太 is derived from 大 (big) with an added dot to emphasize thickness or plumpness. The dot likely served as a distinguishing mark to differentiate it from 大.

Meaning mnemonic

Picture a large person 大 with a big belly, and the dot inside is the belly button. That extra dot makes the person plump and thick.

Reading mnemonic

For タイ, imagine a thick tie wrapped around a plump waist: tie -> タイ, and the tie emphasizes the thickness.