Word
掌
Meaning in Englishthe palm
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Word context
What it means
掌 means the palm of the hand, the inner surface used for grasping; in broader use, it appears in compounds that express grasp, control, or influence, such as 掌握.
Main meanings
- Anatomical meaning: palm of the hand
- Figurative meaning: grasp or control (as in 掌握)
- Literary or technical usage where 掌 denotes the palm itself in older or formal texts
How to use it
掌 is used primarily in formal, technical, or literary contexts; everyday speech prefers 手のひら. It appears in compounds like 掌握 to express grasp, control, or influence in fields such as business, politics, or science.
Variants and close terms
- 手のひら (tenohira) — palm of the hand
- 掌握 (しょうあく, shōaku) — grasp, control
Composition
- 扌 hand radical indicates relation to the hand
- 尚 phonetic component contributing to pronunciation and nuance
Etymology
On-reading しょう (shō); Kun-reading tenohira (tenohira). The kanji blends 扌 (hand) with 尚 as a phonetic, illustrating the hand-related semantic field.
Word class
noun (名詞)
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