ichidan verb, transitive verb
nock an arrow; fix an arrow to the bowstring
Specialized archery term for setting an arrow onto the bowstring in preparation to shoot.
彼は弓に矢を番えて、的を狙った。
He nocked an arrow on the bow and aimed at the target.
Standard kanji spelling for this archery term.
Irregular okurigana usage; less common than 番える.
The derivation is uncertain; the kanji 番 is used here in a specialized sense related to pairing or fitting, as in setting an arrow to the string.