大丈夫
だいじょうぶ · daijoubu · JLPT N5 · na-adj
It's ok
💪 大丈夫 = big + sturdy + man: a great strong man, so all is fine
Etymology: 丈夫 (joubu) means sturdy or robust, and 大 (dai) means big. In Chinese the compound meant a great, dependable man. Japanese kept the sense of solid and safe, which softened into: it's okay, no need to worry.
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.