策

• Reading: さく
• Romaji: saku
• Kanji breakdown: 策 (saku) — plan, policy, scheme
• Pronunciation: /sa.kɯ/

Meaning

Plan; policy; scheme; measure. A deliberate course of action or strategy.

A noun and noun-suffix used in formal and political contexts to describe plans or policies. Often combined with other kanji to form compound words like 対策 (taisaku, countermeasure) or 政策 (seisaku, policy). As a suffix, it attaches to nouns to mean 'measure for' or 'plan regarding.'

Examples

1. 政府は新しい経済策を発表した。 The government announced a new economic policy.
2. この問題に対する策がまだ見つからない。 We still haven't found a plan for dealing with this problem.
3. 彼はいつも良い策を思いつく。 He always comes up with good strategies.

Usage Guide

Context: politics, business, problem-solving

Tone: serious

Origin & History

The kanji 策 originally depicted a bamboo whip used to drive horses, later evolving to mean a written plan or strategy on bamboo strips. It shares the bamboo radical 竹 at the top.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal