unsheathed sword; drawn sword
Refers to a sword that has been drawn from its scabbard, often implying readiness for combat. Commonly used in the compound 白兵戦 (hand-to-hand combat).
The soldier advanced toward the enemy with a drawn sword in hand.
hand-to-hand combat; close-quarters fighting
doctrine of close-quarters combat; bayonet charge strategy
Standard kanji spelling for this term.
The term 白兵 literally means 'white weapon', where 白 (white) is thought to refer to the bare, unsheathed blade. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.