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刀 in Chinese / Japanese...
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Katana
Japanese Samurai Sword
刀 is the Japanese Kanji for “sword.” This refers to the style of sword carried by warriors, samurai, and shogun of ancient Japan.
With the pacification of Japan, such swords are now only used for ceremony and decoration. The true art of sword-smithing is all but lost in Japan with new sword production dedicated to making inexpensive replicas for the tourist and foreign market.
For those of you that want to ask whether I can get you a real antique sword. Let me tell you that most real Asian swords were melted down after WWII in Japan, and during the Great Leap Forward in China. Any remaining swords are family heirlooms that nobody will part with.
Please carefully note that the Japanese kanji character shown above is only for a Japanese audience. In China, this character means “knife.” See our other entry for “sword” in Chinese.
Note: 刀 can mean knife, sword, or blade in Korean, depending on context.
Naginata / Halberd
薙刀 is the Japanese word naginata.
A naginata is a special kind of halberd or long sword carried by some Samurai and other warriors. It is still used ceremonially in some schools of martial arts.
Battojutsu
Battōjutsu or 抜刀術 is the art of sword drawing associated closely with the tradition of Kenjutsu.
Battōjutsu typically is done with a real and sharp-bladed katana and is often practiced as a form of kata.
Ono-Ha Itto-Ryu
小野派一刀流 is Ono-ha Ittō-ryū, the oldest branch of Ittō-ryū styles from Ittosai Kagehisa's original martial arts style.
Live By The Sword Die By The Sword
Matthew 26:52
凡动刀的，必死在刀下 is the second part of Matthew 26:52 from the Chinese Union Bible where Jesus suggests that one who uses a sword will also die by it.
Not the results for 刀 that you were looking for?
Below are some entries from our dictionary that may match your 刀 search...
| Characters If shown, 2nd row is Simp. Chinese |
Pronunciation Romanization |
Simple Dictionary Definition |
刀 see styles |
dāo dao1 tao tou / to とう |
More info & calligraphy: Katana(1) sword (esp. Japanese single-edged); katana; (2) (とう only) scalpel; (3) (とう only) (See 彫刻刀・ちょうこくとう) chisel; burin; graver; (4) (とう only) (See 刀銭) knife money (knife-shaped commodity money used in ancient China); (personal name) Tou sword |
薙刀 see styles |
naginata なぎなた |
More info & calligraphy: Naginata / Halberd |
抜刀術 see styles |
battoujutsu / battojutsu ばっとうじゅつ |
More info & calligraphy: Battojutsu |
一刀 see styles |
itsutou / itsuto いつとう |
(1) (いっとう only) sword; blade; (2) single stroke; (surname) Itsutou |
三刀 see styles |
mito みと |
(surname) Mito |
両刀 see styles |
ryoutou / ryoto りょうとう |
(1) two swords; (2) (abbreviation) (See 両刀使い・りょうとうづかい・2) being skilled in two fields; (an) expert in two fields; (3) (abbreviation) (See 両刀使い・りょうとうづかい・3) liking both alcohol and sweets; person who likes alcohol and sweets equally well; (4) (abbreviation) (See 両刀使い・りょうとうづかい・4) bisexual (person) |
中刀 see styles |
nakagatana なかがたな |
(surname) Nakagatana |
主刀 see styles |
zhǔ dāo zhu3 dao1 chu tao |
to act as the chief surgeon; chief surgeon |
久刀 see styles |
hisato ひさと |
(personal name) Hisato |
五刀 see styles |
wǔ dāo wu3 dao1 wu tao gotou / goto ごとう |
(surname) Gotou The 'five swords' or slayers who were sent in pursuit of a man who fled from his king, e. g. the five skandhas 五蘊. |
伝刀 see styles |
dendou / dendo でんどう |
(surname) Dendou |
作刀 see styles |
sakutou / sakuto さくとう |
(noun/participle) Japanese sword making |
佩刀 see styles |
hakashi はかし |
(n,vs,vi) wearing a sword; sword one is wearing; (given name) Hakashi |
傳刀 see styles |
dendou / dendo でんどう |
(surname) Dendou |
儀刀 see styles |
gitou / gito ぎとう |
ceremonial sword |
入刀 see styles |
nyuutou / nyuto にゅうとう |
(noun/participle) cutting the cake (at a wedding) |
冰刀 see styles |
bīng dāo bing1 dao1 ping tao |
ice skates; ice skate blades |
凶刀 see styles |
xiōng dāo xiong1 dao1 hsiung tao |
murder weapon (i.e. knife) |
刀上 see styles |
katagami かたがみ |
(surname) Katagami |
刀下 see styles |
touka / toka とうか |
under the sword |
刀井 see styles |
katanai かたない |
(surname) Katanai |
刀伊 see styles |
toi とい |
(hist) Jurchen pirate tribe who invaded Tsushima in 1019 (kor: doe); (female given name) Toi |
刀俎 see styles |
dāo zǔ dao1 zu3 tao tsu |
sacrificial knife and altar |
刀傷 see styles |
toushou / tosho とうしょう |
sword cut |
刀儀 see styles |
tsurugi つるぎ |
(surname) Tsurugi |
刀具 see styles |
dāo jù dao1 ju4 tao chü |
cutting tool |
刀出 see styles |
katanade かたなで |
(place-name) Katanade |
刀刃 see styles |
dāo rèn dao1 ren4 tao jen toujin / tojin とうじん |
knife blade; crucial point sword blade |
刀利 see styles |
tori とり |
(surname) Tori |
刀刺 see styles |
dāo cì dao1 ci4 tao tz`u tao tzu |
to stab; to attack with knife |
Click here for more 刀 results from our dictionary
The following table may be helpful for those studying Chinese or Japanese...
| Title | Characters | Romaji (Romanized Japanese) | Various forms of Romanized Chinese | |
| Katana | 刀 | katana | dāo / dao1 / dao | tao |
| Naginata Halberd | 薙刀 | naginata | ||
| Battojutsu | 抜刀術 | battou jutsu battoujutsu batto jutsu | ||
| Ono-Ha Itto-Ryu | 小野派一刀流 | ono ha Ittou ryuu onohaIttouryuu ono ha Itto ryu | ||
| Live By The Sword Die By The Sword | 凡動刀的必死在刀下 凡动刀的必死在刀下 | fán dòng dāo de bì sǐ zài dāo xià fan2 dong4 dao1 de bi4 si3 zai4 dao1 xia4 fan dong dao de bi si zai dao xia | fan tung tao te pi ssu tsai tao hsia | |
| In some entries above you will see that characters have different versions above and below a line. In these cases, the characters above the line are Traditional Chinese, while the ones below are Simplified Chinese. | ||||
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