拳
fist
Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of phonetic and hand. Clenched hand.
Symbolism
Fist, karate, grip. Represents clenched hand.
Component Breakdown
龹 + hand
Words & Expressions
Words written with 拳
Four-Character Compounds
徒手空拳
としゅくうけん
being empty-handed; being penniless; having no capital (for starting a business)
鉄拳制裁
てっけんせいさい
(punishment by) striking with fists
拳々服膺
けんけんふくよう
firmly bear in mind; have something engraved on one's mind (heart)
赤手空拳
せきしゅくうけん
barehanded; having no wealth or position to rely on (aside from one's own resourcefulness) (when embarking on something)
Proverbs & Idioms
拳を振り上げる
こぶしをふりあげる
To raise one's fist
To show anger or protest
Anime & Manga
北斗の拳
Fist of the North Star
'Fist' symbolizes Hokuto Shinken. A landmark martial arts manga set in a post-apocalyptic world.
ドラゴンボールＺ 龍拳爆発!!悟空がやらねば誰がやる
Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon
A well-known work with 拳 in its Japanese title.
私の拳をうけとめて!
Catch These Hands!
A well-known work with 拳 in its Japanese title.
Games
鉄拳
Tekken(1994)
Developer: Bandai Namco
'Fist' is central to this fighting game. A story of fighting with the Mishima family's fists.
View on Amazon →Frequently Asked Questions
What does 拳 mean in Japanese?
拳 means fist.
How do you read 拳?
On'yomi: ケン、ゲン (KEN, GEN). Kun'yomi: こぶし (kobushi).
How many strokes does 拳 have?
拳 has 10 strokes. Its radical is 手 (hand).
Is 拳 a good kanji for a tattoo?
拳 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means fist. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.