討
Mnemonic
The commander's words ring out: 'We have taken the measurement of their fortress walls!' With precise calculations complete, he orders the attack—a punitive strike planned down to every last detail.
Additional thoughts
Words on the left (speech radical) plus measurement on the right (寸). Measuring the enemy's defenses before attacking reinforces the kanji's sense of a deliberate, organized offensive rather than a random fight.Quick recall
Words declare the measurement complete—launch the attack!Details
The keyword for 討 is attack. This kanji conveys the sense of launching a military offensive or striking against an enemy, often with the connotation of a punitive expedition or a campaign to suppress wrongdoing. It carries an implication of deliberate, organized aggression rather than a spontaneous fight, suggesting a planned effort to conquer or subjugate. The character is also used in the context of thorough investigation or debate, as in critically examining or "attacking" a problem.
- On'yomi
- とう
- Kun'yomi
- う.つ