Meaning
巨 means large, gigantic, or enormous — but with an edge that 大 lacks. Where 大 covers everyday bigness, 巨 signals something almost overwhelming: a scale that commands attention. Think colossal skyscrapers, vast fortunes, or figures whose influence towers over everyone around them.
The character traces back to a pictograph of a carpenter's square — a tool for measuring great spans of space. Just as that square was reserved for dimensions too large for ordinary rulers, 巨 is reserved for concepts too immense for ordinary words. The ancient link between measurement and magnitude stuck.
At just 5 strokes, 巨 is compact for such a heavy-duty concept. It turns up often in newspapers, formal essays, and literature — describing massive infrastructure projects, enormous investment sums, or legendary historical figures. At N2 and beyond, it's one you'll want to recognize on sight.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
巨 has one on'yomi: キョ (KYO). Almost every compound word uses this reading, making it the dominant reading across formal and written Japanese.
- 巨大 (kyodai) — gigantic, enormous, colossal
- 巨人 (kyojin) — a giant; also the Yomiuri Giants baseball team
- 巨額 (kyogaku) — a huge sum of money
- 巨匠 (kyosho) — a grand master, a great artist or craftsman
- 巨星 (kyosei) — a giant star (astronomy); figuratively, a towering figure
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
巨 has no kun'yomi in modern Japanese. It lives almost entirely inside compound words (熟語), which keeps study simple: master キョ and the key compounds, and you've covered the practical range of the kanji.
Classical texts occasionally show alternative readings, but at JLPT N2, キョ is the only one that matters.
Common Words & Compounds
All compounds below use the キョ reading. They appear across news, literature, and conversation — grouped by theme to show just how wide a range 巨 covers.
Size & Scale:
- 巨大 (kyodai) — gigantic, colossal, enormous
- 巨体 (kyotai) — an enormously large body or physique
- 巨大化 (kyodaika) — the process of becoming enormous; gigantification
People & Influence:
- 巨人 (kyojin) — a giant; a towering figure in any field
- 巨匠 (kyosho) — a grand master; an exceptionally skilled artist or artisan
- 巨頭 (kyoto) — a leading magnate; a powerful figure or bigwig
- 巨星 (kyosei) — a great star, literal or figurative; a legendary person
Money & Resources:
- 巨額 (kyogaku) — a huge amount of money; an enormous sum
- 巨費 (kyohi) — an enormous expense; a colossal cost
- 巨万 (kyoman) — millions; a vast, almost uncountable wealth
Example Sentences
その建物は巨大で、遠くからでも見える。
Sono tatemono wa kyodai de, tooku kara demo mieru.
That building is enormous — you can spot it from far away.
彼は体が大きく、まるで巨人のようだ。
Kare wa karada ga ookiku, marude kyojin no you da.
He has a huge build — he looks just like a giant.
この事業には巨額の資金が必要だ。
Kono jigyo ni wa kyogaku no shikin ga hitsuyou da.
This project needs an enormous amount of funding.
彼女は現代美術の巨匠として知られている。
Kanojo wa gendai bijutsu no kyosho to shite shirarete iru.
She is recognized as a grand master of contemporary art.
その会社は巨費を投じて新工場を建設した。
Sono kaisha wa kyohi wo tojite shinkojo wo kensetsu shita.
The company sank enormous costs into building a new factory.
宇宙には地球よりもはるかに巨大な星がある。
Uchu ni wa chikyu yori mo haruka ni kyodai na hoshi ga aru.
The universe holds stars far more enormous than Earth.
昨夜、文学界の巨星が亡くなった。
Sakuya, bungakukai no kyosei ga nakunatta.
Last night, one of the literary world's great figures passed away.
巨大な波が港の船を飲み込んだ。
Kyodai na nami ga minato no fune wo nomikonda.
A massive wave swallowed the ships in the harbor.
その実業家は巨万の富を築いた。
Sono jitsugyoka wa kyoman no tomi wo kizuita.
That industrialist built up a staggering fortune.
世界の巨頭たちが会議のために集まった。
Sekai no kyoto-tachi ga kaigi no tame ni atsumatta.
The world's top power brokers gathered for the summit.
Memory Tip
Picture a carpenter hoisting a giant square ruler — one built to measure castle walls. The shape of 巨 resembles that frame: a stiff horizontal beam across the top, a sturdy base below. Normal rulers handle normal sizes. This one only comes out for something truly massive.
As the carpenter strains to lift it, imagine them grunting "KYO!" (キョ). Sound plus image: 巨 · KYO · gigantic.