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Kotomora

戦

war, battle, match

JLPTN3StatusJōyō · grade 4FrequencyTop 100Strokes13

Readings

On'yomi

  • セン

Kun'yomi

  • いくさ
  • たたか.う
  • おのの.く
  • そよ.ぐ
  • わなな.く

Nanori

  • せ

Meaning

戦 centers on armed conflict or competitive struggle: war, battle, or a match where sides clash.

Most common words using 戦

24 of 875
  • 戦争せんそう
    N4

    war

  • 戦いくさ
    N1

    war; battle; campaign; fight

  • 戦いたたかい
    N3

    battle; war; fight; conflict

  • 戦うたたかう
    N3

    to make war (on); to wage war (against); to go to war (with); to fight (with); to do battle (against)

  • 作戦さくせん
    N1

    tactics; strategy

  • 挑戦ちょうせん
    N2

    challenge; defiance; dare; attempt; try

  • 戦闘せんとう
    N1

    battle; fight; combat

  • 戦略せんりゃく

    strategy; tactics

  • 参戦さんせん

    participation in a war; going to war

  • 戦士せんし

    soldier; combatant; warrior

  • 対戦たいせん

    fighting (against); taking on (an opponent); facing; confronting; competing (with); battle; fight; contest; match

  • 戦後せんご
    N1

    postwar period; period after Second World War

  • 大戦たいせん
    N3

    great war; great battle

  • 戦車せんしゃ
    N1

    tank (military vehicle)

  • 戦場せんじょう
    N1

    battlefield; battleground

  • 戦国せんごく

    country in civil war; country disarrayed by war

  • 戦前せんぜん
    N1

    pre-war days; before the war

  • 観戦かんせん
    N1

    watching a (sports) game; spectating; observing (military operations)

  • 戦術せんじゅつ
    N1

    tactics

  • 戦力せんりょく
    N1

    war potential; military strength; fighting power

  • 戦艦せんかん

    battleship

  • 合戦かっせん

    battle; fight; fighting; engagement; contest

  • 回戦かいせん

    event with ... rounds, innings, legs, etc.

  • 敗戦はいせん
    N1

    defeat; lost battle; losing a war

Explore all words using 戦 →

Study

Etymology

戦 is the modern simplified form of 戰. The older form combines 單 (a hunting weapon or net) with 戈 (halberd), together expressing the idea of warfare or fighting. The modern left side 単 is a simplification of 單.

Meaning mnemonic

The left side 単 suggests a simple or single thing, and the right side 戈 is a halberd. Imagine a lone warrior with a halberd stepping into battle: 戦 is war or a match.

Reading mnemonic

For セン, picture a battle scene where a centurion (セン) leads the charge with a halberd: cent -> セン, and the warrior fights in the war.