adverb

  1. very, greatly, terribly, awfully.

adjectival noun or quasi-adjective, noun

  1. immense, enormous, great.
  2. serious, grave, dreadful, terrible.
  3. difficult, hard, challenging.

noun

Archaism.
  1. major incident, disaster.

Variations

Pronunciation Kanji Kana Is Common
大変 たいへん
 
 
大へん たいへん

Contained Kanji Breakdown

large, big
ダイ おお- た (1st, N5)
one, one radical (no.1)
イチ いっ ひと- (1st, N5)
person
ひと ニン ジン (1st, N5)
unusual, change, strange
ヘン か.わる (4th, N3)
also, again
また エキ ヤク (Kentei Pre-1, N1)
kettle lid radical (no. 8)
トウ (Kentei 1)
fire, fire radical (no. 86)
ヒョウ カ
late, delayed, winter radical (no. 34)
チ しゅう (Kentei 1)