擊

Denotes the act of striking or hitting with the hand or a weapon, whether in combat, music, or metaphorical sense (as in “to strike at an idea” or “to act forcefully”).

It carries both physical impact (to strike or hit) and strategic initiative (to launch an attack or to take decisive action).

Phono-semantic compound composed of:

手 (손 수) — semantic component, meaning “hand,” representing the physical act of striking or wielding.

𣪠 (부딪칠 격) — phonetic component, providing the sound gyeok (격) and originally depicting the motion of collision or clash.

The earliest forms of 擊 showed a hand holding a weapon striking another object, symbolizing contact through force — not random violence, but purposeful impact.

攻擊 (공격) — attack; to assault

打擊 (타격) — to strike; blow; impact

反擊 (반격) — counterattack

襲擊 (습격) — surprise attack

擊退 (격퇴) — to repel; to drive back

擊中 (격중) — to hit the target; to strike accurately

擊發 (격발) — to fire (a gun); trigger release

擊鼓 (격고) — to beat a drum

擊破 (격파) — to defeat or destroy

擊劍 (격검) — fencing; sword fighting

衝擊 (충격) — impact; collision; shock

打擊樂 (타격악) — percussion instruments

In ancient China, 擊 described the physical act of striking, particularly in warfare and martial arts, where mastery of controlled impact was a core discipline.

In military texts such as The Art of War (孫子兵法), 擊 signifies decisive engagement — the moment when accumulated force is released at the right point of weakness.

「善擊者，攻其所必救。」

“He who strikes skillfully attacks where the enemy must rush to defend.”

Over time, the character also came to describe actions of rhythmic or forceful repetition, such as beating drums (擊鼓) or striking bells (擊鐘) — both important ceremonial and military signals.

In Confucian ritual and Buddhist symbolism, drums and bells (鼓與鐘) were “struck” (擊) to call attention, awaken virtue, or mark the rhythm of time and mindfulness.

「晨鐘暮鼓，擊心醒世。」

“The morning bell and evening drum strike the heart and awaken the world.”

擊 symbolizes focused energy and decisive action — power that is deliberate, not chaotic.

It is the moment of contact between will and the world, where intention manifests as motion.

Philosophically, 擊 represents the principle that force without purpose is destruction, but force guided by clarity becomes transformation.

「擊者，動也；動以正，則成。」

“To strike is to move; when movement is right, it brings success.”

In this sense, 擊 complements 攻 (to attack strategically):

攻 is the approach — the planned advance.

擊 is the impact — the execution, the decisive moment of contact.

擊 teaches the art of direct yet mindful action.

It reminds that true strength lies not in constant aggression, but in knowing when and how to strike — with clarity, precision, and purpose.

「心定而後擊準。」

“Only when the heart is steady does the strike find its mark.”

Thus, 擊 stands as the character of focus and mastery — the union of will and motion, where the power of a single act can change the course of events.