noun
jitte; Edo-period truncheon with a hook
A short metal or wooden truncheon with a side hook, used by Edo-period police and thief-takers to catch and control suspects, and to parry swords.
時代劇では、同心が十手を使って悪者を捕まえる場面がよくある。
In period dramas, there are often scenes where a constable catches a villain using a jitte.
十手は、刀を受け止めるための鉤が付いた捕り物道具だ。
The jitte is an arresting tool with a hook for catching a sword.
Irregular kanji usage; 實 is the kyūjitai form of 実.
Irregular kanji usage; rarely used.
The origin of the word 十手 is uncertain. One theory suggests it derives from the weapon's length of about ten (十) hand-widths (手), but this is not firmly established.