noun
Refers to a closed hand, often in the context of fighting, striking, or making a determined gesture.
彼は怒りで拳を握りしめた。
He clenched his fist in anger.
ボクサーは試合前に拳を合わせた。
The boxers touched fists before the match.
Specifically a clenched fist, emphasizing the action of gripping, while 拳 is the general term for fist.
Colloquial term for fist, often used in the context of a punch or knuckle, more informal than 拳.
The kanji 拳 is a phono-semantic compound with 手 (hand) and a phonetic component, originally meaning 'fist'. The reading こぶし is a native Japanese word of uncertain origin, possibly related to 小節 (small joint/knuckle).