太 means “thick, fat”

ふとい · futoi

Also: plump, big around

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

ふとい, ふとる

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

タイ, タ

JLPT N4 · Taught in grade 2 · 4 strokes

The story

Big (大) with an extra dot for emphasis: 太 is abundance overflowing. The character appears in Japan's ancient sun mythology: 太陽 (taiyou, the sun) is the ultimate source of warmth and thickness of light.

Used in 太陽 (taiyou, sun) and 太鼓 (taiko, drum)

Words with 太

• 太陽 (たいよう, taiyou): sun
• 太陽 (たいよう, taiyou): sun

More from Colors & Shapes

• 細 thin
• 赤 red
• 青 blue
• 白 white
• 黒 black
• 色 color
• 黄 yellow
• 緑 green
• 紫 purple
• 金 gold
• 銀 silver
• 丸 circle

Learn 太 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.