武士刀
wǔshìdāo
The English phrase "katana" is translated into Chinese as 武士刀 (wǔshìdāo). Wiktionary also lists 日本刀 (Rìběndāo).
Meaning: type of Japanese longsword (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 武士刀 | wǔshìdāo |
| 日本刀 | Rìběndāo |
The term refers to a type of Japanese longsword.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 武士刀 (wǔshìdāo) literally means "samurai sword", where 武士 (wǔshì) means "samurai" and 刀 (dāo) means "blade" or "single-edged sword".
Which one should you use?
While 武士刀 (wǔshìdāo) specifically refers to a samurai sword, 日本刀 (Rìběndāo) is a more general term meaning "Japanese sword". 武士刀 is the most common way to refer specifically to a Japanese katana in Chinese.
How do you pronounce it?
wǔshìdāo
Did you know?
- The character 刀 (dāo) is a pictograph that originally looked like a knife, which is why it is used for the 'katana' despite the weapon's length.
- The character 士 (shì) in 'samurai' refers to a scholar-warrior class. In ancient China, it described a person of high social status or a gentleman, similar to how 'samurai' implies a specific social stratum.
- If you were looking for a Japanese sword in a Chinese historical context, you might see the term 倭刀 (wēidāo) used in older texts. 'Wēi' was an ancient Chinese name for Japan.
Examples in context
- 这把武士刀很锋利。Zhè bǎ wǔshìdāo hěn fēnglì.This katana is very sharp.
- 他在博物馆里看到一把武士刀。Tā zài bówùguǎn lǐ kàndào yì bǎ wǔshìdāo.He saw a katana in the museum.
- 武士刀在历史上很有名。Wǔshìdāo zài lìshǐ shàng hěn yǒumíng.The katana is very famous in history.
Example conversation
Two friends are visiting a museum of East Asian art.
- 梓涵 Zihan俊杰，快看那把武士刀！Jùnjié, kuài kàn nà bǎ wǔshìdāo!Junjie, look at that katana!
- 俊杰 Junjie哇，它的刀鞘很漂亮。Wa, tā de dāojiào hěn piàoliang.Wow, its scabbard is very beautiful.
- 梓涵 Zihan它是不是来自日本？Tā shì bù shì láizì Rìběn?Is it from Japan?
- 俊杰 Junjie是的，那是传统的日本武士刀。Shì de, nà shì chuántǒng de Rìběn wǔshìdāo.Yes, that is a traditional Japanese katana.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “katana” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
