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On'yomi
セン
SEN
Kun'yomi
いくさ・たたか.う・おのの.く・そよ.ぐ・わなな.く
ikusa / tatakau / ononoku / soyogu / wananaku

war · battle · match

powerful

Details

Strokes13
Frequency#78
Radicalhalberd(4)
Old Form

Stroke Order

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Strokes13

Component Breakdown

=

left-right: 単 + 戈

Cultural Context

Etymology

Composed of single and weapon. Fighting with weapon.

Symbolism

War, battle, challenge. Represents fighting.

Related Culture & Scenes

  • Era of war

Anime & Manga

機動戦士ガンダム

Mobile Suit Gundam(1979)

anime

Origin of mecha anime depicting space 'war.'

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Games

大乱闘スマッシュブラザーズ

Super Smash Bros.(1999)

Nintendo Switch

Developer: Nintendo/Sora Ltd.

'Brawl/battle' is the game's core. A fighting game featuring Nintendo all-stars.

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Words & Expressions

Four-Character Compounds

悪戦苦闘

あくせんくとう

hard fighting; hard struggle; fighting against heavy odds; hard fighting

人海戦術

じんかいせんじゅつ

human wave attack; human wave tactics; throwing people at a problem; human wave attack

速戦即決

そくせんそっけつ

quick battle for a quick victory; blitzkrieg; quick battle for a quick victory

百戦百勝

ひゃくせんひゃくしょう

ever-victorious; many successful campaigns; invincibility; ever-victorious

連戦連勝

れんせんれんしょう

succession of victories; succession of victories

戦々恐々

せんせんきょうきょう

trembling with fear; in great fear; filled with trepidation; trembling with fear

百戦錬磨

ひゃくせんれんま

veteran; battle-worn; schooled by adversity in many battles; veteran

宣戦布告

せんせんふこく

declaration of war; proclamation of war; declaration of war

陽動作戦

ようどうさくせん

diversionary tactics; diversionary tactics

力戦奮闘

りきせんふんとう

fighting with all one's might; fighting up against; making strenuous efforts; fighting with all one's might

戦々慄々

せんせんりつりつ

trembling with fear; filled with trepidation; trembling with fear

戦意喪失

せんいそうしつ

loss of fighting spirit; losing the will to fight; loss of fighting spirit

常在戦場

じょうざいせんじょう

always conducting oneself as though one were on a battlefield; being combat ready at all times (of a person); always conducting oneself as though one were on a battlefield

Proverbs & Idioms

戦いは数なり

たたかいはかずなり

War is a matter of numbers

Superior numbers often win