大戦

• Reading: たいせん
• Romaji: taisen
• Kanji breakdown: 大 (tai) — great, big; 戦 (sen) — war, battle
• Pronunciation: /ta.i.se.n/

Meaning

Great war; great battle; world war. A large-scale military conflict.

A noun referring to major wars, most commonly the World Wars. 第一次世界大戦 (daiichiji sekai taisen, World War I) and 第二次世界大戦 (dainiji sekai taisen, World War II) are the most frequent uses. Also used for major historical battles in Japanese history.

Examples

1. 第二次世界大戦は1945年に終わった。 World War II ended in 1945.
2. 大戦の歴史を学ぶことは大切だ。 It's important to study the history of the great wars.
3. 祖父は大戦を経験した世代だ。 My grandfather is from the generation that lived through the war.

Usage Guide

Context: history, education, news

Tone: serious

Origin & History

Composed of 大 (tai, great/big) and 戦 (sen, war/battle). A compound emphasising the scale and significance of a conflict, distinguishing it from ordinary battles.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal