palm · manage

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 掌 has 12 strokes and the on-reading しょう. 車掌 (しゃしょう) and 合掌 (がっしょう) mean a conductor and pressing the palms together.
• Basic usage: 車掌 names a crew member who makes announcements on a train or similar vehicle; 合掌 means bringing both palms together.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• A conductor's role and a palms-together posture
  • 車掌が次の駅を落ち着いた声で案内した means that the conductor announced the next station in a calm voice. 電車の車掌に尋ねた means asked the train conductor about a lost item.
  • 仏像の前で静かに合掌した means quietly pressed one's palms together before a Buddhist statue. 合掌の姿勢を取った describes taking a palms-together posture during yoga practice.