大
dà · HSK 1
big
🧍 大 = pictograph of a person stretching arms wide to show 'big'
The character depicts a stick-figure adult with arms outstretched — the maximum span a person can show. This 'arms wide' etymology is the root for many size-related characters like 太 (too big) and 天 (sky, above big).
大 — pictograph of a person with arms outstretched
大 is a pictograph showing a person standing with arms and legs spread wide. The outstretched arms suggest 'big' or 'great', extending from the literal image of a large stance to abstract meanings like important or grand. It is one of the oldest characters, found on oracle bones.