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Meaning & use

katana

noun·Advanced

Last updated

UK/kəˈtɑːnə/
US/kəˈtɑːnə/

Meaning

  1. nouncountable

    A long, slightly curved sword with a single sharp edge, used by samurai in feudal Japan.

    Grammar: Plural is usually katana or katanas.

    Patterns

    • wield a katana
    • a katana blade

    The museum displays a katana forged over four hundred years ago.

    He practiced drawing the katana in one smooth motion.

    A good katana is folded many times to make the steel strong.

Word forms

pluralkatanas

Common combinations

draw a katana
The warrior drew his katana and stood still.
wield a katana
In the film, she wields a katana with great skill.
a razor-sharp katana
A razor-sharp katana hung on the wall of the shop.
forge a katana
Smiths still forge a katana by hand in some Japanese towns.
katana and wakizashi
Samurai carried a katana and wakizashi as a matched pair.

Synonyms and how they differ

sword
Sword is the general word for any bladed weapon, while katana names one particular Japanese type.
saber
A saber is usually a Western curved cavalry sword and is not the same design as the katana.
blade
Blade is a looser, more poetic word that can mean any sword or just the cutting part.

Word family

wakizashi noun
a shorter Japanese sword often worn with the katana
samurai noun
a warrior of feudal Japan who carried the katana
kendo noun
a modern Japanese martial art using bamboo swords

Commonly confused: katana or cutlass?

katana vs cutlass

A cutlass is a short, heavy curved sword associated with sailors and pirates, while a katana is a longer Japanese blade.

Practice

Which weapon is traditionally linked with samurai?

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