Definitions
(adverb)
too (much); very; extremely
(adjective)
highest; greatest; supreme
Etymology
Addition of a dot to 大 (dà; big) to mean "very" or "extremely".
About
The character "太" developed as a distinct form from the basic character "大", which originally depicted a person with arms outstretched to signify "great" or "large". To express an even greater degree or an extreme state, a small dot or stroke was added to "大", creating a new graph that initially meant "exceedingly great" or "the greatest". This structural modification, essentially a modified derivative, allowed the character to carry meanings of extremity and excess, branching into concepts like "excessive" or "too much". Over centuries, its semantic field expanded abstractly to denote what is supreme or highest, as seen in terms for "space" or the "empress dowager", while also solidifying its common adverbial function as an intensifier meaning "very". Thus, through a simple graphic alteration of its progenitor, "太" acquired a layered range of meanings from the superlative to the excessive, maintaining its core relationship to the idea of magnitude.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
今天天气太热了。
她是我的太太。
太阳从东边升起。
太空探索很有趣。
这里的生活很太平。
他太喜欢打篮球了。
这个问题太复杂了，我无法解决。
虽然太贵，但是质量很好。