重い
おもい · omoi · JLPT N5 · i-adj
heavy
🏋️ Oh my (omoi), that is heavy!
Omoi sounds like a strained oh-my, the gasp you let out when lifting something too heavy. The kanji 重 also appears in 体重 (taijuu, body weight) and 重要 (juuyou, important), which links the heavy and serious senses.
重 — person 人 + east 東 (phonetic)
Originally depicted a person carrying a heavy bundle on their back, suggesting weight and burden. The 東-like element served as a phonetic component. Over time the character split into two readings: zhòng meaning 'heavy' and chóng meaning 'repeat/again'.