The kanji 圧 generally conveys the meaning of pressure, stress, or compression. It implies a force being applied to something, either physically or metaphorically. This force can be a pushing down, a constraint, or a feeling of being burdened. The character represents the act of applying force or influence.

・On-yomi (音読み): アツ (atsu) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): お(す) (o(su))

⚫︎ 圧力 (atsuryoku) Translation: Pressure, stress ⚫︎ 圧迫 (appaku) Translation: Pressure, oppression ⚫︎ 圧勝 (asshou) Translation: Overwhelming victory

The kanji 圧 is a 形声文字 (keisei moji), a phono-semantic compound character. The character is composed of the radical 厂 (kō/gamae), which represents a cliff or shelter, and the phonetic component 去 (kyo/saru), which means "to leave" or "to go away". The initial meaning of 圧 involved the idea of something being pressed or forced under a cliff. Over time, the character evolved to represent pressure, compression, and the act of applying force.