How to say "sword" in Japanese

• 剣けんCommon
  nounCovers a sword, especially a large double-edged one, and can also mean blade. The natural choice for Western-style or double-edged swords, as in European or fantasy contexts.
  剣けんを取とる者ものは皆みな剣けんで滅ほろびる。↗

  All who take up the sword will perish by the sword.
• 刀かたなJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounCovers a sword, especially the single-edged Japanese type, and is the word behind 'katana'. Use it when thinking of a Japanese sword carried at the waist or drawn from a scabbard.
  「刀かたなの投擲とうてきの練習れんしゅう？」「すっぽ抜ぬけただけです」↗

  "Practising sword throwing?" "It just slipped out of my hands."
• 刀剣とうけんCommon
  nounA general term covering swords and also daggers, knives, and bayonets. Slightly formal or technical in flavor, suited to writing about blades as a category, such as in collections or appraisal.
• 一刀いっとうCommon
  nounLiterally 'one sword' or 'one blade'; it counts a single sword rather than naming the weapon. Seldom the word you want for 'sword' itself — reach for it only when emphasizing a single blade.
• 鋼はがねCommon
  nounPrimarily means steel, with 'sword steel' and 'sword' as extended senses. Not the ordinary way to say 'sword'; use it when the metal or the blade as forged steel is the point.

Use 刀 for a Japanese single-edged sword, 剣 for a large double-edged one, 刀剣 as a general or collective term for swords and blades, and treat 一刀 and 鋼 as marginal, specialized choices.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 剣けんsword (esp. a large, double-edged one)
• 刀かたなsword (esp. Japanese single-edged)
• 刀剣とうけんsword
• 一刀いっとうsword
• ソードsword
• 刃やいばblade
• 帯剣たいけんwearing a sword
• 延べ金のべがねsheet metal
• 段平だんびらbroadsword
• 殺人刀さつじんとう(killing) sword
• 鋼はがねsword steel