鍛える

きたえる · kitaeru · JLPT N1 · verb-ichidan

to train

🔨 鍛 = 金 (metal) + 段 (stages): metal is hammered in stages, and so is training

Smiths beat steel in repeated rounds, and a trainee builds strength the same way, one stage at a time. 金 metal + 段 stages.

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