大黒柱

だいこくばしら

Meanings

1. Noun central pillar (of a building)
2. mainstay (e.g. of an economy); backbone (e.g. of a family); provider; main man

Kanji

• 大 big. Read as ダイ.
• 黒 black. Read as コク.
• 柱 pillar. Read as はしら.

Example sentences

• トムは一家の大黒柱です。
  Tom is his family's main breadwinner.
• トムはこの家の大黒柱です。
  Tom is the breadwinner in this family.

Jinuma: Japanese Dictionary · Word lists