大哥
dàgē · HSK 4
brother
👨👦 大 = big + 哥 = elder brother; literally 'big brother'
大 (dà) means big or great, and 哥 (gē) means elder brother. Together 大哥 is the eldest brother in a family, and by extension the top guy in a gang — the 'big bro' everyone defers to.
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.