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草薙の剣 (くさなぎのつるぎ) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

草くさ薙なぎの剣つるぎ

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さ

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Meanings

1

noun

Kusanagi no Tsurugi; grass-mowing sword

Alternate name for Ama-no-Murakumo no Tsurugi, one of the three Imperial regalia of Japan. The literal meaning 'grass-mowing sword' refers to the myth in which the sword was used to cut grass to escape a fire.

See also: 天叢雲剣

草くさ薙なぎの剣つるぎは三さん種しゅの神じん器ぎの一ひとつとされている。
Kusanagi no Tsurugi is considered one of the three Imperial regalia.

神しん話わでは、スサノオが草くさ薙なぎの剣つるぎをヤマタノオロチから取とり出だした。

In mythology, Susanoo took the Kusanagi sword from Yamata no Orochi.

Written forms

草くさ薙なぎの剣つるぎ
Full name with possessive の; standard in mythological and historical contexts.
草薙剣くさなぎのつるぎ
Abbreviated form without の; also seen in texts.

Kanji

草grass, weeds, herbs
薙mow down (the enemy)
剣sabre, sword, blade

Similar words

天叢雲剣あまのむらくものつるぎ
Ama-no-Murakumo no Tsurugi is the original name of the sword; Kusanagi no Tsurugi is the alternate name used after the grass-mowing incident.

Etymology

From the Japanese myth in which the sword was used to cut (薙ぐ) grass (草) to escape a fire. The name is conventionally associated with this story.