剑

劒
jiàn
#867 most
frequent character
sword
noun

Character breakdown

Source: Make Me a Hanzi.

剑 combines 佥 qiān for sound with 刂 knife as a picture part. It first meant an ancient weapon with a sharp blade on both sides and a short handle. The meaning grew to a double-edged sword, and then simply sword.

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Example Sentences

这把剑很锋利。
zhè bǎ jiàn hěn fēnglì 。
This sword is very sharp.
古代武士常用剑打斗。
gǔdài wǔshì chángyòng jiàn dǎ dǒu 。
Ancient warriors often used swords to fight.
这部电影讲述了一个关于剑的传奇。
zhè bù diànyǐng jiǎngshù le yígè guānyú jiàn de chuánqí 。
This movie tells a legend about a sword.

Same Characters, Different Readings

剑jiàn
sword

Words with similar meanings

刀dāo
knife
刀 refers to a knife, which is often used for cutting; however, it can also refer to a broader category of blades.
兵器bīngqì
weapon
兵器 is a more general term for weapons, which includes swords but also many other types of arms.

Homophones

HSK 2
件jiàn
item, component
HSK 6
溅jiàn
splash
见jiàn
see, meet
建jiàn
build, construct, erect, establish
键jiàn
key, bond
箭jiàn
arrow

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