also: おおえ
large branch; bough
Refers to a thick, major branch of a tree, as opposed to a small twig (小枝).
A large branch broke off in the typhoon.
A bird has built a nest on a bough of that tree.
The gardener cut off a large branch from the old tree.
A large branch snapped off in the strong wind and fell onto the road.
Used because a large branch (大枝) is a long, slender object, counted with 本.
Standard kanji spelling; the reading おおえだ is the most common.
Rare reading; mostly found in older texts or proper nouns.
Compound of 大 (おお, 'big') and 枝 (えだ, 'branch'). The reading おおえ is a contraction sometimes seen in older or poetic usage.