利剑 (lì jiàn) — sharp sword

Definition

A sharp, well-honed sword — note that 剑 is a double-edged straight sword (the classic wuxia weapon), distinct from 刀 dāo (single-edged saber). Used literally and figuratively for something that cuts to the heart of a matter.

noun
sharp sword
Measure word · 把

Examples

  • 利剑，。
    Zhè bǎ lì jiàn xuē tiě rú ní, shì gǔ dài míng jiàng zhù zào de.
    This sharp sword cuts through iron like mud; it was forged by a famous ancient craftsman.
  • 利剑，。
    Tā de pī píng xiàng yì bǎ lì jiàn, zhí cì wèn tí de hé xīn.
    His criticism was like a sharp sword, piercing straight to the heart of the problem.
  • ，利剑，。
    Wǔ xiá xiǎo shuō lǐ, yīng xióng wǎng wǎng shǒu chí lì jiàn, xíng zǒu jiāng hú.
    In martial arts novels, heroes often carry a sharp sword as they wander the jianghu.

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.

利lìsharp
剑jiànsword

The 利 sense of sharp combines with 剑 as sword to mean a sharp sword.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

利 combines 禾 (grain) and 刀 (knife), showing a knife used to cut grain.

Open 利 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 劍; 剑 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
刂Written in full as刀dāo
Sound part声符shēngfú
僉
僉qiān劍jiàn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 劍 pairs 僉 as the sound part with 刂, a knife sign written as 刀, as the meaning part; the simplified 剑 is a later shorthand.

Open 剑 →

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