原爆
Meaning in Englishatomic bomb
Animated kanji stroke order
Word context
What it means
What does 原爆 mean? It refers to an atomic bomb or nuclear weapon, a device that releases a massive amount of energy through nuclear reactions and is central to discussions of warfare, policy, and mass destruction.
Main meanings
- primary meaning: atomic bomb
- usage nuance: common in historical, political, and academic contexts when discussing nuclear weapons
How to use it
Used in formal writing, journalism, and academic contexts to discuss nuclear weapons and wartime events; appears in compound terms such as 原爆投下 or historical references to Hiroshima and Nagasaki; in casual speech, speakers may use broader terms for weapons when not focusing on the nuclear aspect.
Variants and close terms
- 原子爆弾 gen-shi bakudan — atomic bomb
- 核爆弾 kaku bakudan — nuclear bomb
- 原爆投下 genbaku tōka — atomic bombing
Composition
- 原: origin, base, source
- 爆: explosion, blast
- Together they form a word describing an explosion tied to an origin—specifically a nuclear/atomic explosion
Origin
The term entered Japanese vocabulary in the 20th century to name a weapon that derives its explosive power from nuclear reactions; it became prominent in wartime reporting and postwar discourse surrounding Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and nuclear policy.
Word class
noun (名詞)