Meaning & readings
forces, energy, military strength
On’yomi セイ、ゼイ
Kun’yomi いきお.い、はずみ
Nanori せ
Origin
This character combines the idea of position or posture with power. The top component represents how something is positioned or situated, while the bottom component is the character for physical force or strength. Together they create the concept of momentum or force arising from a particular arrangement—like how the way soldiers are lined up gives them military power, or how the way something is positioned creates energy or drive. The combination captures not just raw strength, but strength that comes from strategic positioning or arrangement.
Components
- 埶
- 力
Common words
Reference
- Strokes
- 13
- Kangxi radical
- 19
- Formation type
- Compound ideographic (combined meanings)
- Grade
- Grade 5 (Kyōiku)
- Frequency rank
- #260 (newspapers)
- Former JLPT
- level 2
- Unicode
- U+052E2