“Big spoon” and “little spoon” refer to positions in cuddling or spooning, where two people lie close together in a way that one person’s back is against the chest of the other. The “big spoon” is the person who wraps their arms around the other, holding them from behind, while the “little spoon” is the person who is being held, often lying with their back against the big spoon’s chest.
The terms can also be used metaphorically to describe the dynamic in a relationship, where the “big spoon” may be seen as the protective or nurturing partner, and the “little spoon” might be seen as the more cuddly or comforted one. However, the terms are playful and don’t necessarily carry any strict meaning beyond the cuddling context.