大衣
dà yī · HSK 2
overcoat
🧥 大 (big) + 衣 (clothing) = big clothing = overcoat
衣 is the general word for clothing/garment, and 大 means big or large. A big garment you throw over everything else is an overcoat. The same 衣 shows up in 毛衣 (sweater) and 内衣 (underwear).
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.