Meaning
The kanji 撃 (Geki) primarily expresses the action of "attacking," "hitting," or "striking" with force. It implies a deliberate and often aggressive physical impact, whether in combat, sports, or other contexts. While similar to other kanji meaning "to hit" like 打 (da, u-tsu), 撃 carries a stronger connotation of forceful assault, shooting, or causing significant damage.
This kanji's origin lies in a phono-semantic compound. The right side, 殳 (hoko-zukuri), functions as the radical and represents a hand holding a club, spear, or weapon. This component clearly hints at the meaning of "striking" or "beating" with an implement. The left side, 毄 (an older form of 毅, meaning "resolute" or "strong"), acts as the phonetic component, suggesting the sound "keki" (related to 撃 'geki'). Combined, the components strongly evoke the image of a resolute or strong person using a weapon to strike or attack.
The visual shape clearly conveys its meaning. The aggressive posture suggested by the radical 殳, which looks like a hand grasping a weapon, combines with the left component that implies force or determination. This combination clearly points to the act of striking or attacking. It's not just a gentle tap but a forceful, impactful action.
With 15 strokes, 撃 is a Grade 8 Jōyō Kanji. This means it's part of the set of characters designated for general use, typically learned by high school students or advanced Japanese learners (JLPT N1 level).
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The primary On'yomi for 撃 is ゲキ (Geki). This reading is very common, appearing in most kanji compounds related to attacking, striking, shooting, or forceful impact.
- 攻撃 (kōgeki) — A fundamental term, this word means "attack" or "assault." It is frequently used in military, sports, or even competitive contexts. For example, 「敵を攻撃する」 (Teki o kōgeki suru) means "to attack the enemy."
- 打撃 (dageki) — Translating to "a blow," "shock," or "damage," this can refer to a physical blow, a psychological shock, or economic damage. For instance, 「経済に打撃を与える」 (Keizai ni dageki o ataeru) means "to inflict damage on the economy."
- 射撃 (shageki) — This term refers to "shooting" or "firing" a weapon, such as a gun or bow. For instance, 「射撃訓練」 (shageki kunren) means "shooting practice."
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The primary Kun'yomi for 撃 is う-つ (u-tsu), forming the transitive verb 撃つ. This reading specifically means "to shoot (a gun)," "to strike," or "to attack," always implying a forceful or potentially aggressive action. It is distinct from 打つ (utsu), which has a broader meaning of hitting.
- 撃つ (utsu) — This verb can mean "to shoot (a gun)," "to fire," or "to strike down." For example, 「鳥を撃つ」 (Tori o utsu) means "to shoot a bird."
- 撃ち落とす (uchiotosu) — This compound verb means "to shoot down" or "to bring down by shooting." It is often used for aircraft or missiles. For instance, 「敵機を撃ち落す」 (tekki o uchiotosu) means "to shoot down an enemy plane."
- 撃ち合う (uchiau) — A reciprocal verb, 撃ち合う means "to shoot at each other" or "to exchange fire." For example, 「敵と撃ち合う」 (Teki to uchi au) means "to exchange fire with the enemy."
Common Words & Compounds
The kanji 撃 appears in a wide array of compounds, predominantly in contexts of combat, impact, and specific striking actions. Here are some key examples, categorized by theme:
Military & Combat Related
- 攻撃 (kōgeki) — attack, assault, offensive. A fundamental term in military and competitive strategies.
- 迎撃 (geigeki) — interception, typically of missiles or enemy aircraft. This implies meeting an attack with a counter-attack.
- 爆撃 (bakugeki) — bombing, air raid. This refers to the act of attacking with explosives.
- 撃墜 (gekitsui) — shooting down (an aircraft). A term specifically for destroying an aerial target.
- 反撃 (hangeki) — counterattack, retaliation. An attack launched in response to an initial assault.
Impact & Damage Related
- 打撃 (dageki) — a blow, shock, damage, hit. Can be physical or metaphorical (e.g., economic damage).
- 衝撃 (shōgeki) — impact, shock, strong impression. Describes a sudden, forceful collision or a profound emotional effect.
- 痛撃 (tsūgeki) — a severe blow, a crushing attack. Implies an attack causing great pain or significant damage.
Specific Striking Actions
- 射撃 (shageki) — shooting, firing (with a gun or bow). The act of propelling a projectile.
- 狙撃 (sogeki) — sniping, taking a shot at a target from a distance. Often implies precision.
- 撃退 (gekitai) — repelling, driving back, beating off. To force an enemy or attacker to retreat.
- 撃破 (gekiha) — defeating, destroying (an enemy). To completely overcome and demolish an opposing force.
Example Sentences
敵が我々を攻撃してきた。
Teki ga wareware o kōgeki shite kita.
The enemy attacked us.
彼女は標的を正確に撃った。
Kanojo wa hyōteki o seikaku ni utta.
She accurately shot the target.
経済的な打撃が企業に大きな影響を与えた。
Keizaiteki na dageki ga kigyō ni ōkina eikyō o ataeta.
The economic blow had a significant impact on the company.
チームは後半に猛攻撃を仕掛けた。
Chīmu wa kōhan ni mōkōgeki o shikaketa.
The team launched a fierce attack in the second half.
空軍は敵機を迎撃し、被害を防いだ。
Kūgun wa tekki o geigeki shi, higai o fuseida.
The air force intercepted the enemy aircraft and prevented damage.
このニュースは社会に大きな衝撃を与えた。
Kono nyūsu wa shakai ni ōkina shōgeki o ataeta.
This news delivered a great shock to society.
彼らは果敢に反撃し、敵を撃退した。
Karera wa kakan ni hangeki shi, teki o gekitai shita.
They bravely counterattacked and repelled the enemy.
警察官は犯人に向かって発砲し、威嚇射撃を撃った。
Keisatsukan wa hannin ni mukatte happō shi, ikaku shageki o utta.
The police officer fired at the suspect, shooting a warning shot.
長年の研究の末、ついにその難病を撃破する治療法が発見された。
Naganen no kenkyū no sue, tsuini sono nanbyō o gekiha suru chiryōhō ga hakken sareta.
After years of research, a treatment method to finally defeat that intractable disease was discovered.
Memory Tip
To remember 撃, visualize its components. The left side somewhat resembles 車 (kuruma, 'car') with the bottom horizontal stroke removed. The right side is the radical 殳 (hoko-zukuri), depicting a hand holding a weapon or club. Imagine a scenario where a "car" (left part, simplified) is being attacked or struck by someone wielding a "weapon" (殳). The forceful impact of the weapon against the car helps to solidify the meaning of "attack," "hit," or "strike." Another way to think of it: the left component contains 毎 (mai), meaning 'every'. So, 'Every (毎) time you use a weapon (殳), you hit or attack!' The strong, aggressive action is key.