撲 means “strike, beat”

ぼく · boku

Also: slap, hit

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ボク

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 15 strokes

The story

A hand (扌) slapping hard: picture the flat-palmed shoves of a sumo bout, which is where most people meet 撲, in 相撲, read すもう. 打撲 is a bruise from a blow, and 撲滅 is stamping something out.

Used in 相撲 (sumou, sumo), 打撲 (daboku, bruise), and 撲滅 (bokumetsu, eradication)

More from Grip, Rub & Twist

• 抽 draw out
• 据 set in place
• 擦 rub
• 把 grasp
• 挿 insert
• 抹 rub out
• 搾 squeeze
• 拭 wipe
• 貼 stick
• 捻 twist
• 剝 peel
• 塡 fill

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Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.