WORD DETAIL
発砲
はっぽう
Examples
Included kanji
Study notes
1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning
- Structure:
発砲(はっぽう) is an action noun, used withする, for discharging a firearm. - Basic usage:
むやみに発砲してはならないprohibits reckless shooting by a guard, while劇中の発砲音denotes a gunshot sound within a performance that startles the audience.
2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions
- Actual firing and staged sound
発砲するis the act of firing, whereas発砲音is the resulting or staged sound. The second alone does not establish that a live round was discharged.

