正せい鵠こく

also: せいこう

せ

い

こ

く

Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

noun

bull's-eye; mark; point

Refers to the exact center of a target, or metaphorically to the crucial point or essence of a matter. Often used in the phrase 正鵠を射る (to hit the mark).

彼かれの指し摘てきは正せい鵠こくを射いている。
His remark hits the mark.
その質しつ問もんは問もん題だいの正せい鵠こくを突ついている。
That question gets to the heart of the issue.

See all 6 example sentences ›

Expressions

正せい鵠こくを射いるhit the mark; hit the nail on the head
正せい鵠こくを得えるhit the mark; be exactly right

Kanji

正correct, justice, righteous
鵠swan

Related words

的まと
的 is a more common word for a target or mark, while 正鵠 specifically emphasizes the exact center or the essential point.
核かく心しん
核心 means the core or kernel of a matter, similar to the metaphorical use of 正鵠, but 正鵠 carries a nuance of precision and hitting the exact point.

Written forms

正鵠Usage100%
- せいこく
  Standard kanji spelling. The reading せいこく is more common than せいこう.
- せいこう
  Alternate reading. Less common but still encountered.
せいこう

Etymology

From Chinese 正鵠, where 正 and 鵠 both refer to the center of a target. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the compound is conventionally associated with the idea of a bull's-eye.