menuki; ornamental hilt collar
A pair of small metal ornaments fitted under the hilt wrapping of a Japanese sword, originally serving to improve grip but often highly decorative. This is a specialized term used in the context of Japanese swords and their fittings.
The menuki on this sword features intricate dragon work.
目貫はもともと手が滑らないようにするための実用的な部品だった。
Menuki were originally practical fittings to prevent the hand from slipping.
Standard kanji spelling for the ornamental hilt collar on a Japanese sword.
Alternate spelling with okurigana, also seen in sword-related contexts.
Originally a functional fitting that passed through the sword hilt and tang to secure the blade; 目貫 later came to denote the ornamental paired hilt fittings descended from it.