Details
Description
Sword - honor, combat, the way of the warrior.
Stroke Order
Component Breakdown
All + sword
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of all and sword. Sword used by many.
Symbolism
Weapon, justice, decision. Represents chivalry and decisiveness.
Spiritual Meaning
Represents tool of spiritual cultivation in martial arts - way of sword is training to forge the heart.
Anime & Manga
るろうに剣心
Rurouni Kenshin
Deep exploration of swordsmanship and sword philosophy
View on Amazon →Games
刀剣乱舞
Touken Ranbu
Game raising personified famous swords. Started the sword boom in Japan
View on Amazon →Words & Expressions
Four-Character Compounds
真剣勝負
しんけんしょうぶ
fighting with real swords; game played in real earnest; fighting with real swords
Proverbs & Idioms
剣は心なり
けんはこころなり
The sword is the heart
Swordsmanship reflects one's character
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 剣 mean in Japanese?
剣 means sabre, sword, blade, clock hand. Sword - honor, combat, the way of the warrior.
How do you read 剣?
On'yomi: ケン (KEN). Kun'yomi: つるぎ (tsurugi).
How many strokes does 剣 have?
剣 has 10 strokes. Its radical is 刀 (knife).
Is 剣 a good kanji for a tattoo?
Yes. 剣 (sabre, sword, blade, clock hand) has a clear positive meaning and no embarrassing alternate readings, making it a solid tattoo choice.
Explore by meaning:kanji for sword · kanji for blade