衝 means “collide, strike, impulse”

しょう · shou

Also: brunt, highway, opposition (astronomy)

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

つく

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ショウ

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 15 strokes

The story

Something heavy (重) charging down the middle of a crossroads (行): picture a cart plowing into whatever stands in the way. 衝突 is a collision, 衝撃 a shock, and 衝動 a sudden impulse you can't hold back.

Used in 衝突 (shoutotsu, collision/clash), 衝撃 (shougeki, shock/impact), and 衝動 (shoudou, impulse)

More from Attack & Conquer

• 奪 snatch
• 挑 challenge
• 侵 invade
• 襲 attack
• 敵 enemy
• 征 conquer
• 虜 captive
• 伐 cut down
• 撃 strike
• 討 attack
• 攻 attack
• 狙 aim at

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