short blade; small weapon
Literally a very short sword or dagger; often used in historical or metaphorical contexts.
He attended the meeting carrying a short blade.
epigram; pithy saying
Figurative use: a short, sharp, and effective remark, like a small but piercing weapon. Often seen in the phrase 寸鉄人を殺す (a pithy remark can kill a person).
His single remark had the sharpness of a pithy saying that could kill a person.
Composed of 寸 (a unit of length, about 3 cm, implying smallness) and 鉄 (iron, metal), literally 'inch of iron'. The figurative sense derives from the idea of a small but piercing weapon.