鋒
dagger, sword's point, festival car, float
Readings
On'yomi
- ホウ
Kun'yomi
- きっさき
- とかり
- ほこさき
Meaning
鋒 centers on a sharp, piercing point: the tip of a sword or dagger. The festival car and float meanings are rare extensions, likely from the idea of a decorated, pointed structure.
Most common words using 鋒
- 先鋒せんぽう
advance guard; vanguard
- 急先鋒きゅうせんぽう
van (of a movement); vanguard; forefront
- 舌鋒ぜっぽう
sharp tongue; eloquence
- 兵鋒へいほう
the point of a sword; the advance of an army
- 機鋒きほう
brunt
- 次鋒じほう
second athlete to compete in a 5-on-5 team competition (kendo, judo, etc.)
- 筆鋒ひっぽう
power of the pen
- 舌鋒鋭いぜっぽうするどい
sharp (tongue, criticism, etc.); cutting; scathing
- 論鋒ろんぽう
tone or force of an argument
- 鋒鋩ほうぼう
the tip of an edged instrument
- 鋭鋒えいほう
brunt of attack or argument
Study
Etymology
鋒 combines 金 (metal) with 夆, which likely contributes the sound and carries a sense of piercing or sharpness. The exact origin of 夆 is uncertain, but the character as a whole points to a metal point.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side is metal 金, and the right side 夆 looks like a pointed tool. Imagine a metal dagger with a sharp point, ready to pierce.
Reading mnemonic
For ホウ, picture a sword's point held high (ほう) in the air, like a warrior raising a dagger: ほう -> ホウ.