藏刀 (zàng dāo) — concealed knife, hidden blade

Definition

Note the pronunciation: 藏 here is cáng ('to hide'), NOT Zàng ('Tibet'). It means a knife concealed on the body — hidden in clothing, a boot, or a sleeve — typically as a weapon. Distinct from a kitchen knife or an openly carried blade.

noun
concealed knifehidden blade
Measure word · 把

Examples

  • 藏刀。
    Tā suí shēn dài le yì bǎ zàng dāo.
    He carries a concealed knife with him.
  • 藏刀。
    Zhè zhǒng zàng dāo fēi cháng fēng lì.
    This kind of hidden blade is very sharp.
  • 藏刀。
    Jǐng chá zài tā shēn shàng fā xiàn le yì bǎ zàng dāo.
    The police discovered a hidden knife on him.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

藏cánghide
刀dāoknife

The sense 藏 is hide, and 刀 is knife, giving a hidden blade.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艸艸cǎograss
Sound part声符shēngfú
臧
臧zāng藏cáng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

藏 is made from 艸 (grass) and 臧, where 臧 gives the sound.

Open 藏 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 刀 comes from a simple picture of a knife.

Open 刀 →

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