大木

• Reading: たいぼく
• Romaji: taiboku
• Kanji breakdown: 大 (dai/oo) — large, great; 木 (boku/ki) — tree, wood
• Pronunciation: /ta.i.bo.kɯ/

Meaning

Large tree; great tree. An exceptionally tall or massive tree, often ancient and venerated.

A noun used to describe trees of remarkable size or age. In Japan, 大木 often carry cultural and religious significance — ancient ones are commonly found on shrine and temple grounds, sometimes wrapped in sacred rope (しめ縄) and revered as divine abodes. The word is also used metaphorically to describe a respected, towering figure within an organisation.

Examples

1. 境内にそびえる樹齢千年を超える大木は、地域の人々から長年崇められてきた。 The great tree over a thousand years old that towers within the shrine grounds has been revered by local people for generations.
2. 台風の翌朝、公園の大木が根こそぎ倒れているのを見て言葉を失った。 On the morning after the typhoon, I was left speechless to find a great tree in the park had been uprooted and toppled.
3. 組織の大木とも言える創業者が引退し、後継者の選定が急務となった。 With the retirement of the founder, who could be called the great tree of the organisation, selecting a successor became an urgent matter.

Usage Guide

Context: nature, religion, figurative speech

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 大 (large, great) and 木 (tree, wood). A straightforward compound that describes its referent directly — a tree of great size and stature.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal