fist

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 拳 has 10 strokes, the on-reading けん, and the kun-reading こぶし. 拳 (こぶし) and 拳法 (けんぽう) mean a fist and a martial art.
• Basic usage: 拳 is a hand with the fingers clenched; 拳法 is a martial art using the fists and other techniques.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Fist movements and martial arts training
  • 拳を握った means clenched a fist, here while holding back anger. 拳を突き上げて describes thrusting a fist upward to celebrate a victory.
  • 拳法の基本姿勢 means the martial art's basic stances. 拳法を修行する describes the story's main character training in the martial art deep in the mountains.