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Kotomora

挫

crush, break, sprain, discourage

StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 2,000Strokes10

Readings

On'yomi

  • ザ
  • サ

Kun'yomi

  • くじ.く
  • くじ.ける

Meaning

挫 centers on forceful deformation or suppression: physically crushing, breaking, or spraining something, and metaphorically discouraging or dampening a person's spirit.

Most common words using 挫

  • 挫折ざせつ

    setback; failure (e.g. plans, business); frustration; discouragement

  • 頓挫とんざ

    setback; deadlock; standstill; impasse; miscarriage

  • 捻挫ねんざ
    N1

    sprain; twist; wrench

  • 挫けるくじける

    to be disheartened; to lose heart; to be dispirited; to be crushed (emotionally)

  • 挫傷ざしょう

    sprain; wrench; bruise; contusion; fracture

  • 挫くくじく

    to sprain; to twist

  • 脳挫傷のうざしょう

    cerebral contusion

  • 挫きくじき

    sprain

  • 挫創ざそう

    contusion; bruise

  • 挫折感ざせつかん

    feeling of frustration; sense of failure

  • 挫滅ざめつ

    crushing (injury)

  • 挫滅症候群ざめつしょうこうぐん

    crush syndrome

  • 挫骨ざこつ

    spraining of a bone joint

  • 鋭を挫くえいをくじく

    to break the brunt

  • 頸椎捻挫けいついねんざ

    cervical sprain; whiplash

Explore all words using 挫 →

Study

Etymology

挫 combines 扌 (hand) with 坐, which likely contributes the sound and the idea of sitting or pressing down, suggesting a hand pressing or crushing something.

Meaning mnemonic

A hand 扌 pressing down on 坐 (sitting) crushes what is beneath it, like a hand breaking a fragile object or spraining a joint by forcing it down.

Reading mnemonic

For ザ, imagine the crushing hand making a sharp 'za' sound as it breaks something: za -> ザ, and the hand crushes down.