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剣 means 'sword'

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Strokes : 10    Frequency: 899   JLPT: N1    Usefulness: 5    Study set: 5-7    Grade: 8   Intermediate lesson: -    Beginner lesson: -   Begins 53 words   Used in 101 words   Used in 206 names   Not used as a component
Jōyō (常用)
Common readings
On
   ケン
Kun
   つるぎ sword
Variants
劍   剑 (Chinese)  
Notes
A Joy o' Kanji essay is available for 剣 - click the badge to download
This packed-to-the-gills essay teaches everything about the Japanese sword, from its connections to Buddhism and samurai to its metaphorical role. You'll learn how people use 剣 and 刀 quite differently. Fantastic photos provide glimpses of sword-bearing martial arts, supplementing the discussion of kendo. In one quiz, you'll even consider which animals come equipped with swords!
View in the essay collection    All Joy o' Kanji essays  
Components
⿰  㑒 unanimous  刂 (刀) sword  
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Mastery
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Flashcards
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Most useful words by reading
In the most useful 10,000 words in Japanese, 剣 is used 5 times, read 1 way.
Across all words in Japanese, 剣 is used 93 times, read 2 ways (with 1 variation).
Showing:
ケン : 89 words FIND ALL
し ん け ん 0
1. seriousness; earnestness
2. real sword (as opposed to unsharpened or wooden practice weapon)
(click the word to view an additional 2 forms, examples and links)
つるぎ : 3 words FIND ALL
noun
new moon; crescent moon  (poetical term; archaic)
(click the word for examples and links)
やいば: 1 word. FIND ALL
も ろ は の や い ば 0
noun
two-edged sword
(click the word to view an additional 1 form, examples and links)
An additional つるぎ less common words include 剣 but the reading has not yet been categorized.
Quick links
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More information
Wiktionary ⇗ | Unicode.org ⇗ | Google Japan ⇗ | Hanziyuan etymology ⇗
Additional data
Henshall: 1214  Joy o' Kanji : 1214  Key to Kanji: 272 

Cascading kanji view

剣
ケン   つるぎ sword   
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㑒
ケン    unanimous   
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央
オウ    centre   
亼
assembly, gathering   
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一
イチ   イツ   ひとつ    ひと- one   
人
ジン   ニン   ひと person   
刂
トウ   かたな sword   
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