Archaic prefix meaning 'great' or 'large', used in historical titles and compounds. Not productive in modern Japanese.
greater (of equal court ranks); upper; senior
Historical prefix used in court rank terminology to indicate the higher of two equal ranks. Also written as 正. Compare with 従 (ひろき) for the lower rank.
See also: 従 (ひろき)
Rare noun/adjectival noun usage, mostly seen in the fossilized adverbial form 大きに (thank you very much) in Kansai dialect. Otherwise archaic.
See also: おおきに
The 大 in 大君 was historically read as おおき and meant a great lord.
In the ritsuryō system, 大 indicated the upper and 従 the lower within the same court rank.
In Kansai, saying 大きに means 'thank you very much'.
big; large; spacious; extensive · loud · important; significant; major · older; grown-up
big; large; great
on the large side; slightly larger; a little big
greatly; very much · thanks a lot
size; dimensions; volume
Standard kanji spelling for this prefix and noun/adjectival noun. The okurigana 大き is also used, but 大 alone is common in compounds.
Alternate spelling with okurigana, less common than 大 alone.
Archaic native Japanese prefix and noun form related to modern 大きい (big). The reading おおき is the attributive form of the classical adjective おおし, which later developed into 大きい.