撞
- to strike;
- to collide;
- to bump into;
Etymology
A phono-semantic compound composed of:
手 — semantic component meaning “hand; action done with the hand”;
童 — phonetic component indicating the sound (당 / zhuàng).
The character originally described striking or hitting something with force.
Semantic development:
- to strike or hit something;
- physical collision;
- accidental encounter or coincidence.
The meaning has broadened from physical collision to include chance encounters or coincidences.
Usage in Korean
撞 is rarely used in modern Korean vocabulary, but appears in classical texts with the meaning to strike or collide.
撞
치다
당
chida
dang
Kangxi radical:64, 手 + 12
Strokes:15
Unicode:U+649E
Cangjie input:
- 手卜廿土 (QYTG)
Composition:
- ⿰ 扌 童