The short story of Kanji pictures
True to its visual form, this character directly symbolizes a ‘bow.’ In a single word, it embodies absolute ‘strength.’ Because of this intense energy, this shape is frequently used as a foundational component to describe the power and force of various things.
When looking at this figure, you can spot two bows decorated with colorful ribbons, which remarkably represents ‘weak.’ While a bow on its own symbolizes stoic, powerful arms, dressing it up with colored ribbons strips away its practical strength—turning it into mere decoration. Therefore, by using this vivid contrast, the character beautifully means ‘weakness’ in reverse.
In the same way, you can find a bow on the left side of this figure, which symbolizes immense strength. On the right, there is an element resembling an insect. Since insects were also seen as symbols of incredible resilience in ancient times, this character perfectly combines these ideas to mean ‘strong, tough, and mighty’.