noun
strong bow; stiff bow
Refers to a bow that is hard to draw, implying great power. Often used in historical or literary contexts.
強弩の矢は遠くまで届く。
An arrow from a strong bow reaches far.
彼は強弩を引くのに苦労した。
He struggled to draw the stiff bow.
弓 is the general word for 'bow'; 強弩 specifically emphasizes the bow's strength and stiffness.
Compound of 強 (strong) and 弩 (crossbow/bow). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term is used in classical Chinese and Japanese texts to denote a powerful bow.