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Kotomora

迫

urge, force, imminent, spur on

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 1,000Strokes8

Readings

On'yomi

  • ハク

Kun'yomi

  • せま.る

Nanori

  • さこ
  • せ
  • せこ
  • はさ
  • はさま
  • はざま

Meaning

迫 centers on pressure that pushes something forward or makes it urgent: urging, forcing, or an imminent approach. The idea of spurring on fits as a forceful push toward action.

Most common words using 迫

20 of 77
  • 迫るせまる
    N2

    to approach; to draw near; to be imminent

  • 脅迫きょうはく
    N1

    threat; menace; coercion; blackmail

  • 迫力はくりょく
    N1

    impressiveness; impact; force; intensity; presence; appeal; strength; punch; edge; vigor

  • 圧迫あっぱく
    N1

    pressure

  • 迫害はくがい
    N1

    persecution; oppression

  • 迫真はくしん

    realistic; true to life

  • 強迫きょうはく

    compulsion; coercion; duress

  • 緊迫きんぱく
    N1

    tension; strain

  • 切迫せっぱく

    pressure; urgency; tension; imminence; acuteness

  • 迫りせり

    stage elevator; trapdoor

  • 気迫きはく

    spirit; soul; drive; vigor; vigour

  • 逼迫ひっぱく

    tightness (of money, financial conditions, etc.); pressure; stringency

  • 迫撃はくげき

    close attack

  • 急迫きゅうはく

    urgency; imminence

  • 迫撃砲はくげきほう

    mortar

  • 差し迫るさしせまる

    to be imminent; to be impending; to be pressing; to be urgent

  • 強迫観念きょうはくかんねん

    obsession; compulsive idea

  • ド迫力どはくりょく

    thrilling; gripping

  • 万感胸に迫るばんかんむねにせまる

    to be filled with thousand emotions; to be overwhelmed by a flood of emotions; to be wrought by a thousand emotions

  • 上腹部圧迫法じょうふくぶあっぱくほう

    Heimlich maneuver

Explore all words using 迫 →

Study

Etymology

迫 combines 辶 (movement) with 白, which likely contributes the sound and suggests pressing or approaching. The exact historical role of 白 is uncertain.

Meaning mnemonic

The movement radical 辶 wraps around 白 (white). Imagine a white-hot urgency moving closer and closer, forcing you to act.

Reading mnemonic

For ハク, picture a hack writer under imminent deadline pressure, forced to urge the story forward: hack -> ハク, and the pressure spurs them on.