also: きしょく
Refers to a physical flag or banner, often in formal, military, or historical contexts. The word is somewhat literary and less common in everyday speech than 旗 (はた).
The warship hoisted its ensign and left port.
Figurative use: one's declared standpoint or allegiance, as if raising a flag. Often appears in the set phrase 旗幟を鮮明にする (to make one's position clear).
He made his position clear during the election campaign.
making one's stance clear; showing one's true colors
Formal or literary kanji compound; the reading きし is standard for this spelling.
Irregular reading marked; rarely encountered.
Compound of 旗 (flag) and 幟 (banner, flag). The reading きし is the standard on'yomi; きしょく is an irregular variant. The figurative sense derives from the idea of raising a flag to show one's allegiance.