The Meaning of genbaku [原爆] In Japanese
原爆
げんばく
Romaji: genbaku
N4
What does 原爆 mean?
Translation and Meaning
atomic bomb, nuclear bomb
Definition
What does 原爆 mean? It refers to an atomic bomb or nuclear weapon, a device that releases a massive amount of energy through nuclear reactions and is central to discussions of warfare, policy, and mass destruction.
Type
noun (名詞)
Stroke Order
Meanings
- primary meaning: atomic bomb
- usage nuance: common in historical, political, and academic contexts when discussing nuclear weapons
Origin
The term entered Japanese vocabulary in the 20th century to name a weapon that derives its explosive power from nuclear reactions; it became prominent in wartime reporting and postwar discourse surrounding Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and nuclear policy.
Composition
- 原: origin, base, source
- 爆: explosion, blast
- Together they form a word describing an explosion tied to an origin—specifically a nuclear/atomic explosion
Usage
Used in formal writing, journalism, and academic contexts to discuss nuclear weapons and wartime events; appears in compound terms such as 原爆投下 or historical references to Hiroshima and Nagasaki; in casual speech, speakers may use broader terms for weapons when not focusing on the nuclear aspect.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: imagine 原 as the origin at the ground and 爆 as a mighty boom rising from it to represent an origin-based explosion.
Variations
- 原子爆弾 gen-shi bakudan — atomic bomb
- 核爆弾 kaku bakudan — nuclear bomb
- 原爆投下 genbaku tōka — atomic bombing
Example Phrases
-
原爆についての話を学校の授業で友達と慎重に話した。Genbaku ni tsuite no hanashi o gakkō no jūgyō de tomodachi to shinchō ni hanashita.I carefully talked with a friend in class about the atomic bomb.Lista:
- 原爆 (genbaku) – atomic bomb
- についての話を (ni tsuite no hanashi o) – talk about
- 学校の (gakkō no) – school’s
- 授業で (jūgyō de) – in class
- 友達と (tomodachi to) – with a friend
- 慎重に (shinchō ni) – carefully
- 話した (hanashita) – talked
Core grammar: 「についての話を」 means ‘to talk about ~’; here the topic is 「原爆」.
