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Kotomora

衝

collide, brunt, highway, opposition (astronomy), thrust, pierce, stab, prick

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 1,000Strokes15

Readings

On'yomi

  • ショウ

Kun'yomi

  • つ.く

Meaning

衝 centers on forceful, direct impact: colliding, thrusting, piercing, or stabbing. The highway and astronomical opposition senses extend this idea of a direct line of movement or alignment.

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Etymology

衝 combines 行 (to go, movement) with 重 (heavy, weight), suggesting a heavy, forceful movement or collision. The exact historical development is uncertain, but the phono-semantic structure is plausible.

Meaning mnemonic

The outer 行 suggests movement, and the inner 重 is something heavy. Picture a heavy cart rolling down a highway and colliding with a wall, piercing it with a thrust.

Reading mnemonic

For ショウ, imagine a heavy cart crashing and making a loud 'show' of sparks: show -> ショウ, as the impact thrusts forward.