剑 (jiàn) · sword (double-edged), fencing sword

Measure Word

一把剑 bǎ

Meanings

1 sword (double-edged)
2 fencing sword

Characters

剑

jiàn

sword

Examples

HSK 4

他练了很多年的剑术。

Tā liàn le hěnduō nián de jiànshù.

He has practiced swordsmanship for many years.

HSK 5

这把剑是古代的。

Zhè bǎ jiàn shì gǔdài de.

This sword is from ancient times.

HSK 7-9

太极剑是一种传统武术。

Tàijí jiàn shì yī zhǒng chuántǒng wǔshù.

Tai chi sword is a traditional martial art.

Tips

culture

In Chinese martial arts, 剑 (double-edged sword) is considered the 'gentleman of weapons' (百兵之君), associated with elegance and scholars. 刀 (single-edged blade) is the more practical battlefield weapon.

usage

Common idiom: 双刃剑 - 'double-edged sword,' used figuratively just like in English.

Components

radical

刂 dāo

knife (radical)

Right knife radical - vertical-stacking form of 刀. A sword is a long blade, so the knife radical is the natural classifier. Family: 刀 (knife), 利 (sharp/profit), 削 (carve), 刺 (stab). The radical positions 剑 firmly among bladed weapons even as the meaning is specifically the double-edged straight sword used in fencing.

phonetic

佥 qiān

all; (phonetic shape)

Left 佥 - the simplified phonetic, with sound qiān drifted to jiàn (initial palatalised, vowel preserved). Replaces the heavier traditional phonetic 僉 in the old form 劍. Same simplified-phonetic family: 检 (examine), 险 (risky), 验 (test) - sharing the simplified left side and similar rime.