討 means “attack, examine, discuss”

とう · tou

Also: chastise, defeat, destroy

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

うつ

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

トウ

JLPT N1 · Taught in grade 6 · 10 strokes

The story

Words (言) beside a hand (寸): pinning down a point in debate, or a foe in the field. 討つ is to strike down, as in the samurai 仇討ち, a vendetta, but in the office it means 検討, careful review, and 討論 is debate.

Used in 検討 (kentou, consideration/review), 討論 (touron, debate), and 仇討ち (adauchi, revenge)

More from Attack & Conquer

• 攻 attack
• 狙 aim at
• 闘 fight
• 衝 collide
• 奪 snatch
• 挑 challenge
• 侵 invade
• 襲 attack
• 敵 enemy
• 征 conquer
• 虜 captive
• 伐 cut down

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