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小刀 (こがたな, kogatana) Japanese meaning: small knife | Kotomora

小こ刀がたな

also: しょうとう

こ

が

た

な

Common word›Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

1

small knife; pocket knife

Only with reading こがたな

Refers to a small, general-purpose knife, such as a pocket knife or a small utility blade. The reading is こがたな.

彼かれは小こ刀がたなで鉛えん筆ぴつを削けずった。

He sharpened the pencil with a small knife.

2

short sword; small sword

A short sword, often a wakizashi or similar sidearm. Can be read as こがたな or しょうとう, with しょうとう being more formal or historical.

侍さむらいは腰こしに小こ刀がたなを差さしていた。
The samurai wore a short sword at his waist.

Usage patterns

〈物もの〉を小こ刀がたなで削けずるto whittle/shave something with a small knife
彼かれは木きの枝えだを小こ刀がたなで削けずって笛ふえを作つくった。
He whittled a tree branch with a small knife to make a flute.
小こ刀がたなを腰こしに差さすto wear a short sword at one's waist
武ぶ士しは小こ刀がたなを腰こしに差さして出でかけた。
The samurai went out with a short sword at his waist.
小こ刀がたなを抜ぬくto draw a short sword
彼かれは危き険けんを感かんじて小こ刀がたなを抜ぬいた。
Sensing danger, he drew his short sword.

Kanji

小little, small
刀sword, saber, knife

Related words

ナイフN5sense 1
ナイフ is the general loanword for a Western-style knife, while 小刀 (こがたな) usually implies a small, traditional or utility blade.
短たん刀とう sense 2
短刀 is a technical term for a dagger-length blade under about 30cm, whereas 小刀 (こがたな/しょうとう) is a broader, less formal word for a short sword.
脇わき差ざし sense 2
脇差 names a specific type of short sword worn paired with a katana, while 小刀 (しょうとう) is the more general term for any short sword.
カッター sense 1
カッター refers to a retractable utility cutter, while 小刀 (こがたな) suggests a fixed-blade pocket or utility knife.

Opposites

大だい刀とう sense 2
大刀 is a long sword, the opposite in length to the short 小刀 (しょうとう).

Counted with

振ふりN2
For swords and blades (刀一振り).
丁ちょう
Used for 小刀 (こがたな, small knife) as a blade or long slender tool.

Word family

小こ刀がたな細ざい工く
knife carving; small knife work · cheap trick; petty stratagem

Built from

小こ+刀かたな

Written forms

小刀Usage100%
- こがたな
  Standard kanji spelling for the common reading こがたな. High frequency in news and general usage.
- しょうとう
  Alternate on'yomi reading, mostly encountered in historical or technical contexts referring to a short sword.
しょうとう

Etymology

Compound of 小 (small) and 刀 (sword, blade). The reading こがたな is a kun'yomi compound, while しょうとう is the on'yomi reading used in more formal or historical contexts.