刃 means “blade, edge”

は · ha

Also: sword

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

は, やいば, きる

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ジン, ニン

Taught in secondary school · 3 strokes

The story

The 刀 (sword) with a single mark showing its sharpened edge: 刃 is where craft meets danger. Japanese blade-smithing is a sacred art: the smith purifies with Shinto rituals before folding steel, believing the blade absorbs the maker's spirit.

Used in 刃物 (hamono, cutlery/bladed tool) and 両刃 (ryouba, double-edged)

Words with 刃

• 刃物 (はもの, hamono): cutlery / bladed tool

More from Tools & Objects

• 札 tag
• 刀 sword
• 筆 brush
• 紙 paper
• 鏡 mirror
• 鍵 key
• 箱 box
• 車 car
• 船 ship
• 本 book
• 糸 thread
• 布 cloth

Learn 刃 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.