stretch

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 張 has 11 strokes, the on-reading ちょう, and the kun-reading はる. 張る (はる) is used for pitching a tent or stretching a rope taut.
• Basic usage: 張る describes stretching and setting up an object; 主張 (しゅちょう) concerns putting forward one's position or opinion.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Pitching a tent and putting forward a position
  • テントを張った means pitched a tent. ロープを張って洗濯物を干した describes stretching a rope taut and hanging laundry on it.
  • 自分の主張を述べた means stated one's position. 双方の主張が食い違い describes the two sides' claims conflicting.