assassin's dagger; murderous blade
Literary or dramatic term for a blade used in an assassination or murder. Often appears in historical or crime fiction.
彼は凶刃に倒れた。
He fell to an assassin's dagger.
歴史小説では、しばしば凶刃が登場する
In historical novels, an assassin's blade often appears.
短刀 is a general short sword or dagger, without the murderous connotation of 凶刃.
Standard modern spelling.
Variant using the older 兇 character; less common in modern writing.
Compound of 凶 (bad, evil) and 刃 (blade). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word is conventionally associated with a blade used for murder.