weapon; arms; shield and spear
Formal or literary term for weapons, especially in classical contexts. The literal meaning is 'shield and spear', but it is used broadly for arms.
古の戦士たちは干戈を手に戦った。
Ancient warriors fought with weapons in hand.
Formal or literary term for armed conflict or warfare. Often used in historical or elevated writing.
両国の間で干戈を交えることになった。
The two countries came to engage in war.
From Chinese 干戈 (gāngē), literally 'shield and spear', used metaphorically for weapons and warfare. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the spelling is conventionally associated with these meanings.