大河|たいがtaiga[1]atamadaka (head-high)

1. nounlarge river

• Related川かわNeutralThe general term for rivers, used far more widely; 「大河」 is specific to large rivers and appears in compounds such as 「大河ドラマ」.
• Antonym小川おがわNeutralSmall streams and brooks; the opposite of 「大河」 in the size of the river.
• Antonym細流さいりゅうWrittenWritten/formal prose for a small, slender flow of water; the opposite of 「大河」 in scale.

Use 「大河」 for great rivers; it also appears in the titles of long works, as in 「大河ドラマ」 and 「大河小説」. For rivers in general use 「川」; the words on the small side are 「小川」 and 「細流」.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. 大おおきな川かわ。大川おおかわ。
2. 「黄河こうが」の異称いしょう。
3. NHKが制作せいさく放送ほうそうする「大河たいがドラマ」の略称りゃくしょう。