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長太刀 (ながだち) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

長なが太刀だち

Meanings

1

noun

ancient longsword

Historical term for a type of long sword used in ancient Japan, distinct from the later katana or tachi.

博はく物ぶつ館かんで古こ代だいの長なが太刀だちが展てん示じされていた。
An ancient longsword was on display at the museum.

Written forms

長なが太刀だち
Standard kanji spelling for this historical longsword.
長剣ながだち
Alternate kanji spelling; less common than 長太刀.

Kanji

長long, leader, superior
太plump, thick, big around

刀sword, saber, knife

剣sabre, sword, blade

Similar words

太刀たち
太刀 is a later, more general term for a long sword, while 長太刀 specifically refers to an ancient, longer variant.
刀かたな
刀 is the generic term for a katana, which is a curved, single-edged sword; 長太刀 is an older, longer type.

Etymology

Compound of 長 (naga, 'long') and 太刀 (tachi, 'long sword'), with rendaku voicing. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term refers to an ancient longsword predating the classic tachi.