大きい
おおきい · ookii · JLPT N5 · i-adj
big
🐘 大 = big + きい: the oo is held long, a big stretched-out vowel
The kanji 大 means big on its own; きい is the adjective ending. Say it aloud: oo-kii has a doubled, drawn-out o, so the word itself takes up extra room. Its opposite, 小さい (chiisai), starts with a short, tight chi.
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.