拳（こぶし、kobushi）
- fist

The Japanese word 拳 こぶし primarily means "fist". It refers to the hand closed tightly, with the fingers curled into the palm, ready to strike or used in a demonstration of force. The word can also refer to the act of clenching one's hand into a fist.

⚫︎彼拳で机を叩いた。 Translation: He hit the desk with his fist. ⚫︎拳を握りしめて決意を新たにした。 Translation: He clenched his fist and renewed his determination.

This word is used in situations describing physical actions or expressions. It is suitable when talking about: ⚫︎Punching or striking something. ⚫︎Showing determination or anger by clenching one's fist. ⚫︎Describing the physical state of the hand. The context usually makes it clear that we are referring to a fist.

The word 拳 is usually written with the kanji 拳. ⚫︎Hiragana reading: こぶし ⚫︎There are no variations in okurigana.

⚫︎握りこぶし (nigiri-kobushi): This is a more descriptive term for a clenched fist. ⚫︎In certain contexts, 手 (te) (hand) can be used, but it's not a direct synonym.

⚫︎There is no direct antonym for 拳 because it describes a physical state. However, open hand or relaxed hand could be considered opposites in concept.

怒りで彼の拳が震えた。 ・Translation: His fist trembled with anger. ・Explanation: This sentence describes the physical reaction of a person who is angry.

勝利を祝い、拳を突き上げた。 ・Translation: He raised his fist to celebrate victory. ・Explanation: This sentence describes the action of raising a fist as a gesture of triumph.

The kanji 拳 originally depicted a hand holding an object. Over time, its meaning evolved to represent a clenched fist. The exact origin is not firmly established, but the character has been used to represent the concept of a closed hand for many centuries in East Asia.