noun
fencing; kendo
Refers to the art or practice of swordsmanship, often used synonymously with kendo in historical or formal contexts. The reading げっけん is a less common variant.
彼は幼い頃から撃剣を習っている。
He has been learning kendo since he was a child.
この道場では伝統的な撃剣の稽古が行われている。
Traditional fencing practice is held at this dojo.
Compound of 撃 (strike) and 剣 (sword). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term has been used to refer to Japanese swordsmanship since at least the Edo period.