Kanji N1

刀: sword, saber, knife

刀 is a JLPT N1 kanji meaning sword, saber, knife, written with 2 strokes. It is read トウ (on) and かたな, そり (kun). Children in Japan learn it in grade 2. You will see it in 刀 (かたな, sword) and 剃刀 (かみそり, razor).

刀

Meanings

  • sword
  • saber
  • knife
Strokes2
JLPT levelN1
School gradeGrade 2
Frequency#1794 of 2,500

On reading · Kun reading

On reading
  • トウ

On'yomi: from Chinese, written in katakana. Used in compound words.

Kun reading
  • かたな
  • そり

Kun'yomi: native Japanese, in hiragana. The faint part is the okurigana, written in kana after the kanji.

Watch the stroke order

Every stroke in order, the live one in vermilion. Replay as often as you like.

12

Now draw it

Trace each stroke in order. Wrong direction or wrong order gets flagged right away.

120 / 2

Your turn: draw stroke 1 of 2. Start at the dot.

Common words with 刀

The most useful words written with it, easiest first. Every other kanji in them opens its own page.

  • 刀かたな

    sword (esp. Japanese single-edged); katana

    JLPT N3
  • 剃刀かみそり

    razor

    JLPT N2
  • 刀剣とうけん

    sword; dagger; knife; bayonet

  • 日本刀にほんとう

    Japanese sword (usu. single-edged and curved)

  • 大刀だいとう

    (Japanese) long sword; large sword

  • 竹刀しない

    bamboo sword (for kendo); bamboo fencing stick

  • 太刀たち

    long sword (as opposed to the shorter katana)

  • 小刀こがたな

    (small) knife

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Stroke order from KanjiVG © Ulrich Apel, CC BY-SA 3.0. Readings, meanings and words from KANJIDIC2 and JMdict, names from JMnedict, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0, and Wikidata, CC0. JLPT lists after Jonathan Waller (tanos.co.uk), CC BY.