noun
point of a sword; advance of an army
Literary term for the tip of a blade or, by extension, the forward momentum of a military force. Used in classical or historical descriptions.
兵鋒を交える。
To cross swords; to engage in battle.
敵の兵鋒は鋭く、守備隊は後退を余儀なくされた。
The enemy's advance was fierce, forcing the garrison to retreat.
Compound of 兵 (soldier, weapon) and 鋒 (point of a sword, spearhead). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the spelling is conventionally associated with the meaning of a blade's tip or military advance.