劍 (jiàn) - Sword — a weapon with a long metal & also refers to swordsmanship or fencing.

劍Tone 4

jiàn ｜ 15 strokes ｜ radical:

健傑

劍 · jiàn

Sword — a weapon with a long metal blade and a hilt with a handguard, used for thrusting or striking;

also refers to swordsmanship or fencing.

Sword — a weapon with a long metalalso refers to swordsmanship or fencing.

Usage highlights

Sword techniqueSword danceAncient swordLong swordShort swordSword spirit

Synonyms

  • 刀— knife or saber (single-edged blade)
  • 刃— blade (cutting edge of a weapon)

Antonyms

  • 盾— shield (defensive weapon)
  • 和平— peace (opposite of conflict represented by sword)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He practices sword fighting (劍術).
  • The knight drew his sword (劍).
  • This is a famous ancient sword (古劍).
  • Sword dance is a traditional performance (劍舞).

Collocations

  • Sword technique(劍術)
  • Sword dance(劍舞)
  • Ancient sword(古劍)
  • Long sword(長劍)
  • Short sword(短劍)
  • Sword spirit(劍魂)

Idioms

  • To sell the sword to buy a cow(賣劍買牛)
  • The sword is not old(寶劍未老)
  • To draw the sword to help(拔劍相助)
  • To polish the sword for ten years(十年磨一劍)
  • To hang up the sword and retire(掛劍歸隱)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The sword holds a significant place in Chinese culture as a symbol of martial prowess, honor, and justice.
  • In Chinese martial arts, the sword (劍) is known as the 'gentleman of weapons' and is associated with refinement and skill.
  • Swords often appear in Chinese literature and folklore as magical or legendary artifacts, such as the Sword of Goujian.

FAQ