Chinese character for sword: 剑 (jiàn)
The Chinese character for sword is 剑 (jiàn). It means a straight, double-edged sword and appears in 宝剑 (bǎojiàn, fine sword) and 剑术 (jiànshù, swordsmanship). In Chinese culture the jian is called the 'gentleman of weapons'.
How 剑 is built
剑 joins 佥 (qiān) on the left, which gives the sound, with 刂 on the right, the knife radical, a short form of 刀 (dāo). The knife radical marks cutting and blades, as in 刻 (to carve) and 利 (sharp). The traditional form 劍 uses 僉, the traditional form of 佥. As a memory aid, a blade 刂 that everyone 佥 respects. A single-edged saber is called 刀 (dāo).
剑 jiàn · sword
- 佥qiān — all
- 亼jí — to assemble
- 人rén — person
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- ⺍ — three-stroke
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 亼jí — to assemble
- 刂dāo — knife
- 丨 — vertical stroke
- 亅 — hook
How 剑 is used
Other ways to say sword
- 刀 dāo — knife; single-edged blade or saber
Before you use it as a tattoo or design: Simplified 剑 and traditional 劍 differ on the left; use 刀 instead if you mean a saber or knife.
Questions
What is the Chinese character for sword?
剑 (jiàn) means “sword”. In traditional characters it is written 劍.
How do you pronounce 剑?
剑 is pronounced jiàn.
Is 剑 simplified or traditional?
剑 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore; 劍 is the traditional form used in Taiwan and Hong Kong.