大衆
たいしゅう · taishuu · JLPT N1 · noun
populace
📢 大 (big) + 衆 (crowd) = the big crowd; general public
大 means big and 衆 means crowd or masses. Together they name the whole body of ordinary people, the public at large.
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.