奔 means “rush, run freely”

ほん · hon

Also: run, bustle

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

はしる

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ホン

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 8 strokes

The story

A big figure (大) over 卉, drawn in old script as three feet: picture someone running so fast their legs blur. 奔走 is rushing about to get something done, and 自由奔放 describes a free spirit no one can rein in.

Used in 奔走 (honsou, rushing about/busy efforts) and 自由奔放 (jiyuuhonpou, free-spirited)

More from Bodies in Motion

• 蹴 kick
• 踏 step on
• 懸 hang
• 躍 leap
• 駆 gallop
• 揺 shake
• 滑 slide
• 屈 bend
• 翻 flip
• 践 put into practice
• 赴 proceed
• 跳 jump

Learn 奔 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

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