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Kanji Detail for 威 - "to threaten, power"

威

  • Meaning

    威 means "to threaten, power." Also associated with stern.

    1. To threaten - To intimidate; to frighten.

    2. Stern - Strict; solemn.

    3. Power - The force or dignity that makes others submit.

  • Words using 威

    • 脅威 きょうい Listen threat; menace
    • 権威 けんい Listen authority; power; influence
    • 球威 きゅうい Listen (pitcher's) stuff
    • 威信 いしん Listen prestige; dignity
    • 威嚇 いかく Listen threat; intimidation; menace
    • 威勢 いせい Listen power; might; authority
    • 猛威 もうい Listen fury; power; menace
    • 威張る いばる Listen to put on airs; to throw one's weight about; to swagger

  • Four-character idioms with 威

    • 国威発揚 こくいはつよう Listen enhancing national prestige; expanding national influence

  • Origin of 威

    女, a woman, under 戌, the halberd: classically the awe a matriarch commands, arms at the ready. Dignity that makes others stand straight.

    How to remember it: A woman 女 with the halberd 戌 at her shoulder — the presence nobody argues with: authority.

    Sources: en.wiktionary.org · mojinavi.com

  • Tattoo check: 威

    • Verified meaning: to threaten, power
    • Official Jōyō kanji — a standard character every Japanese reader recognises
    • Used in real Japanese given names (read い, たけ, たけし, たける)
    • Also carries these associations: stern

    A single kanji rarely maps one-to-one onto an English word. Read the meanings and associations above as a set — a character that fits the dictionary definition can still carry a connotation you did not intend.

  • Name readings of 威

    Given names 威(たけ)Listen 威(たけし)Listen 威(たける)Listen

    Surnames 威(い)Listen 威(つよし)Listen

  • Compare with other kanji that mean the same thing:

  • Dictionary Citations

    The meaning above is based on the following sources:

    KANJIDIC2 A comprehensive Japanese-English kanji dictionary

    intimidate; dignity; majesty; menace; threaten

    Unihan Unicode Han Database for CJK characters

    pomp, power; powerful; dominate

    CC-CEDICT A Chinese-English dictionary

    power; might; prestige

    Make Me a Hanzi Open-source Chinese character data

    might, power, prestige; to dominate

    XSZD Xuéshēng Zìdiǎn (學生字典) - Student's Dictionary

    Dignity. (Analects) "A gentleman who is not serious will not command respect."

  • Onyomi

    tip

    i(イ) イ

  • Kunyomi

    tip

    odo.kasu(おど-かす) おど-かす

    odo.shi(おど-し) おど-し

    odo.su(おど-す) おど-す

  • Strokes

    tip

    9 strokes

  • Radical

    tip

    女 (onna・onnahen)

  • Related Keywords

    to threaten stern power intimidate authority dignity dominance force influence might prestige strength sovereignty command control mastery potency solemn strict press frighten

Sentences including 威

  • He said that with dignity.

  • She has an important air about her.

  • They looked on him as an authority.

Sentences from Japanese classical masterpieces

More kanji with the radical 女 (onna・onnahen)

See all kanji with this radical →

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