剑 (jiàn) — double-edged sword
Definition
剑 (jiàn) is a double-edged straight sword, a weapon of historical and martial-arts use. Use 刀 for the general category of single-edged blades/knives; 枪 is a spear or firearm — neither overlaps with 剑.
noun
double-edged sword
Measure word · 口, 把
Easily confused
Examples
- 剑。Zhè bǎ jiàn shì tiě zuò de.This sword is made of iron.
- 剑。Tā měi tiān yòng jiàn liàn xí.He practices with a sword every day.
- 剑。Bó wù guǎn lǐ yǒu yì bǎ gǔ jiàn.There is an ancient sword in the museum.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost 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.
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.
Appears in
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