劍

Double-edged straight sword. Beyond its use as a weapon, it often functions as an emblem of authority, high rank, or nobility (ritual object/insignia). In later classical periods, particularly in Daoist or esoteric contexts, it may be used metaphorically to denote spiritual precision and decisiveness, or literally as a supernatural object (e.g., "flying swords").

Primarily a noun; frequently serves as an attributive noun.

[DISTINITIONS]

Distinguished from 刀 (dāo): 劍 is double-edged and designed for piercing and slicing, whereas 刀 is single-edged (saber, knife) and designed for hacking and chopping.

Fanqie reading: 居欠; Tang-period reconstructed reading: *gi(u)æ̀m. Semantic variant: U+5292; Simplified variant: U+5251.

Where both 劍 and 刀 appear in a text, avoid using generic terms like "blade" or using "sword" for both; the technical distinction between the two geometries should be preserved. When translating, consider whether the context implies a combat tool or an object of ritual status.