Meaning & use
naginata
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Meaning
nouncountable
A traditional Japanese weapon with a long wooden shaft and a curved blade at the end, used by samurai and later by foot soldiers.
Grammar: Countable: one naginata, two naginata (plural often unchanged) or naginatas.
Patterns
- a naginata
- wield a naginata
- train with a naginata
The museum displayed a beautifully preserved naginata from the Edo period.
She practices naginata every weekend at the local dojo.
In battle, a naginata gave its user a long reach against swordsmen.
Word forms
| plural | naginata |
|---|---|
| plural | naginatas |
Common combinations
- naginata blade
- The naginata blade was forged by a master smith.
- naginata practice
- Naginata practice focuses on sweeping, circular movements.
- naginata technique
- He demonstrated a basic naginata technique for the class.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
- naginatajutsu noun
- The martial art of using the naginata.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'naginata' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A naginata is a polearm, so it can be drawn from a scabbard (though it is usually carried openly). It is not a cooking ingredient, writing tool, or a sword (which is shorter and lacks a long shaft).
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “naginata”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.