We all know the super-famous word 大丈夫 だいじょうぶ daijōbu → “It’s okay / No problem / All good!”
But have you ever looked at the kanji? Wait a second:
- 大 = big
- 丈 = an ancient unit of length (about 3 metres) + “strong”
- 夫 = man / husband
So… “a huge 3-metre-tall guy” = everything’s fine?? 🥸💪
Let’s dig into the real story.
丈夫 じょうぶ jōbu by itself means “strong / sturdy / healthy”
- 丈夫な体 → strong/healthy body
- 丈夫な机 → sturdy desk
- 丈夫な靴 → durable shoes
The word 大丈夫 actually came from China. In ancient Chinese, 丈夫 referred to a young man, and when someone was especially impressive, they added 大 (“great”) → 大丈夫 = a great, reliable, manly man.
There’s also a Buddhist explanation: 大丈夫 originally described a virtuous, enlightened person (almost like a bodhisattva) — someone so spiritually strong that just being near them made you feel “everything will be all right”.
Over time in Japan the meaning softened from “super strong manly enlightened hero” → “strong and healthy” → “don’t worry, it’s all good”
So the next time someone says 大丈夫 to you, just imagine a 3-metre-tall enlightened guy standing protectively behind you… How can anything not be okay then? 😂💪✨
Which explanation do you like better — the “big strong dude” version or the “chill bodhisattva” version? Tell me in the comments! 👇