back saw; tenon saw; saw with a spine
A saw with a stiffened spine for precise, straight cuts; used in woodworking.
I cut a mortise with a back saw.
This back saw is suitable for fine work.
Variant with okurigana き.
Variant with katakana ノコ.
Compound of 胴付き (dōtsuki, 'with a body/spine') + 鋸 (noko, 'saw'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term describes a saw with a reinforced back.