大 (Big) vs. 太 (Fat) vs. 犬 (Dog): Where Does the Dot Go?
大 (Big), 太 (Fat/Thick), and 犬 (Dog) all share the exact same three-stroke body. The only difference is a single tiny dot — here is how to never forget whether that dot belongs at the belly or up by the ear.
Take a person (人) and stretch their arms wide open: you get 大 (Big). Now add a single tiny dot. Depending on whether you drop that dot between the legs or float it up above the right shoulder, you either call someone 太 (Fat/Thick) or a 犬 (Dog)!
The 3-Card Progression: No Dot vs. Belly Dot vs. Ear Dot
| Kanji | Where Is the Dot? | Shibashi Visual Scene | Readings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 大 (Big) | No dot (just wide arms & legs) | "Ooooo!!" (おお ō) — the big sumo wrestler wins a mountain of dai-monds (だい dai), no tie (たい tai)! | おお(きい) だい / たい |
| 太 (Fat / Thick) | Dot at the BOTTOM (under the belly) | A sumo tiger (たい tai) dripping with fat at the belly — a foolish torture (ふと futo) for a pile of tacos (た ta)! | ふと(い) たい / た |
| 犬 (Dog) | Dot at the TOP RIGHT (by the ear/head) | A happy Shiba Inu (いぬ inu) dog lying on its back with headphones by its ear listening to Kendrick (けん ken)! | いぬ (inu) けん (ken) |
1. 大 (Big) vs. 太 (Fat): Watch the Sumo Ring Transform
Notice how 大 (Big) and 太 (Fat) take place in the exact same sumo arena — adding the extra drop at the bottom turns our big wrestler into a sweat-dripping sumo tiger fueled by tacos:
2. 犬 (Dog): The Dot Moves Up to the Shiba's Ear
In 犬 (Dog — いぬ inu / けん ken), the dot floats up to the top-right corner — right where the Shiba Inu's MP3 player and headphones sit:
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does the dot go in 太 (Fat/Thick) vs. 犬 (Dog)?
Start with 大 (Big — a person spreading their arms and legs wide). In 太 (Fat/Thick — futoi / tai), the dot is DOWN AT THE BOTTOM between the legs, like a sumo tiger's heavy belly dripping sweat. In 犬 (Dog — inu / ken), the dot is UP ON THE TOP RIGHT, like a Shiba Inu's perked ear (or headphones)!
What are the readings of 大, 太, and 犬?
大 (Big) is read 'ō(kii)' (Kun'yomi) and 'dai / tai' (On'yomi). 太 (Fat/Thick) is read 'futo(i)' (Kun'yomi) and 'tai / ta' (On'yomi). 犬 (Dog) is read 'inu' (Kun'yomi) and 'ken' (On'yomi, as in 秋田犬 Akitaken).
