大おおい

nari-adjective (archaic / formal)

big; large; great

Only when written 大い

Archaic nari-adjective; survives mainly in fixed expressions like 大いなる (great, grand) and 大いに (greatly, very). Not used as a standalone adjective in modern Japanese.

See also: 大いなる · 大いに

• 大おおいなる自し然ぜんの力ちからに感かん動どうした。

  I was moved by the great power of nature.

• 彼かれは大おおいに喜よろこんだ。

  He was greatly pleased.

prefix

greater (of equal court ranks); upper; senior

Archaic prefix used in the ancient court ranking system to distinguish a higher rank among equals, e.g., 大従 (greater junior rank). Also written as 正. Extremely rare outside historical contexts.

See also: 従 (ひろい)

• 律りつ令りょう制せいでは、同おなじ位い階かいの中なかでも「大だい」と「少しょう」で上じょう下げを区く別べつした。

  In the ritsuryō system, even within the same court rank, 'greater' and 'lesser' distinguished higher and lower.