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One of the best Japanese Kanji dictionary.
The kanji most commonly used for "Big" are 大、巨、太.
大
big, greatly
Also associated with excellent.
Onyomi: dai, tai Kunyomi: oo, oo.ini, oo.kii 3 strokes Jōyō
large
Also associated with many, why.
Onyomi: kyo 5 strokes Jōyō
thick
Also associated with very, great.
Onyomi: ta, tai Kunyomi: futo.i, futo.ru 4 strokes Jōyō
robust, manly, grand
Onyomi: soh Kunyomi: sakan 6 strokes Jōyō
大 is the default. It is big in every ordinary sense and among the first characters anyone learns — 大きい (big), 大学 (university), 偉大 (great). It also works as an intensifier, so 大成功 is a huge success rather than a physically large one.
巨 is bigness as towering scale, and in modern writing it heads compounds rather than standing alone: 巨大 (enormous), 巨人 (a giant). Where 大 is neutral, 巨 is emphatic.
太 is big as thickness. 太い is thick or stout, and the character means great in 太陽 (the sun) and 太平洋 (the Pacific Ocean). It is one stroke from 大 in shape and quite different in use.
壮 is size as vigor — robust, magnificent, in the prime of life. 壮大 is grand in scale and 壮健 is hale and hearty. It describes the impression a large thing makes rather than its measurements.
大 is safe and universally read as big, though it is plain to the point of blankness — an extremely ordinary character. 巨 rarely stands alone. 太 will be read as thick or fat before it is read as great, so it is a risky choice on a person.
What is Onyomi?
Onyomi, also known as the "Sino-Japanese reading," is one of the two main reading systems for kanji characters in Japanese. It refers to the reading of a kanji character that is derived from the original Chinese pronunciation.
What is Kunyomi?
Kunyomi, also known as the "native Japanese reading," is one of the two main reading systems for kanji characters in Japanese. It refers to the reading of a kanji character that is based on the native Japanese pronunciation. Kunyomi readings are often used when a kanji character stands alone or is followed by hiragana, as in verbs and adjectives. Mastering both kunyomi and onyomi is crucial for understanding and using kanji effectively in the Japanese language.
What is Radical?
A radical, also known as "bushu" in Japanese, is a fundamental component of kanji characters. Radicals are the building blocks of kanji and are used to categorize and organize them in dictionaries. There are 214 traditional radicals, each with its own meaning, which often provides a clue to the meaning of the kanji character it forms.
What is strokes?
Stroke count, or "kakusuu" in Japanese, refers to the number of individual brushstrokes required to write a kanji character. Each kanji has a specific stroke order and stroke count, which are essential for writing the character correctly and legibly. Understanding and following the correct stroke order not only ensures proper balance and aesthetics but also makes writing more efficient and fluid.