拳骨

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 拳骨 is a noun read げんこつ, meaning a clenched fist or a blow delivered with one.
• Basic usage: It can describe striking an object with a fist or raising a fist and then stopping before acting.
  • 男は怒って机を拳骨でたたいた。 says that the man angrily struck the desk with his fist; 彼は拳骨を振り上げたが、すぐに手を下ろした。 says that he raised his fist but soon lowered his hand.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 拳骨でたたく
  • で marks the fist as the means used to strike the desk.
• 拳骨を振り上げる
  • を marks the clenched fist as what was raised, while the clause after が contrasts this with lowering the hand.
• 拳骨 and 拳
  • 拳骨 can denote a clenched fist or a punch, while 拳 denotes a fist and is also common in compounds.