Meaning
Fold, break, bend, turn — This kanji is used for physically folding or breaking things, as well as turning directions or changing momentum.
- 折る — to fold, to break
- 折れる — to snap, to bend
- 骨折 — bone fracture
- 右折 — right turn
- 左折 — left turn
- 折角 — with effort; specially
折 combines the hand radical 扌 with the phonetic part 斤 (“axe”), originally representing the act of cutting or breaking something with the hand.
It is now used in various contexts — from physical actions like folding paper (折り紙) to abstract ideas like turning points in life or effort that was in vain (折角).
紙を 折って鶴を作りました。
I folded paper and made a crane.
木の枝が 折れた。
The tree branch broke.
次の角を 右折してください。
Please turn right at the next corner.
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