Katana

What do we mean by katana?

A type of Japanese longsword or 日本刀, having a single edge and slight curvature, historically used by samurai and ninja.

A slightly-curved, single-edged sword carried by the samurai in fuedal Japan. Contrary to popular belief, the katana was not the primary weapon used by samurai, and was mostly used only for dueling or ceremonial purposes. Over the last few decades, movies and anime have exaggerated the sharpness and durability of the weapon to a point where many people now believe katanas to be some kind of indestructable super-sword. Urban Dictionary

A Japanese sword, once used by the samurai, but now primarily owned by Japanophiles who have deluded themselves into thinking that they can defeat anyone in the world with their (fictional) martial arts and swordplay skills. Urban Dictionary

A katana is the long sword of ancient samurai. It was used from the tenth century, all the way to WWII. Urban Dictionary

The katana is the type of furniture used to house a slightly curved blade of Japanese origin. Contrary to popular belief, the katana was not the primary weapon used in fuedal Japan. In the beginning, before katana, were bronze, single-edged straight swords. These swords originated from China, and came to Japan through trading and conquest. From there, the blade was then made from a low-quality iron, with a slight curve, a side-effect of forging a single-edged blade. The early swords were simple, and ranged in sizes and shapes. Most swords of this eary period are called tachi, and while the general use of a tachi was for battle on horseback, it saw little use with footsoldiers, who were sent into battle with spears or early naginata. Tachi is different from katana because they are different ways of carrying the blade. A katana and tachi blade are often very similar, but in tachi, the sword is worn blade down, usually tied or hung to a belt. In katana, the sword is held blade up, and is usually thrust into a belt, or in some cases tied to one. Another misconception is the idea that anybody who has a katana is samurai. Samurai basically means, One who serves, and this fits them exactly. Samurai were warriors in feudal Japan that served a lord. It was a title that many people with swords either did not have, or could never get. The katana was mainly a show of importance, and often displayed a person's rank or status. Peasants were not allowed to carry a blade over a certain length, and most carried none at all. A person of samurai rank or above could wear two swords, called daisho. Daisho consists of a long sword and a short sword. this also varied among the ranks. A wakizashi was a shorter sword, and often times, a low ranking samurai could only wear a wakizashi and a shorter sword, or knife. higher ranking samurai could wear a daito or wakizashi. This daito could either be katana or tachi. Contrary to popular belief, the curved katana was not the only type of sword used in Japan. Much like in Europe's feudal age, swords were designed for the types of armor they went up against. European swords ranged from single edges baldes to double edged, but it is the double edged that gets all the publicity. Much like in Japan, the curved blade gets the most publicity. Why? In europe, heavy armor made from plates and links of metal required a sword that could take a beating, and thus it had two sharp edges. The point of a double-edged weapon also served to drive the point into weak spots in armor. The curved blades of Japan, however, were put up against armor that usually consisted of heavy silk or light leather that had strips of metal woven in. This was armor that could be cut easily, and thus the sweeping, slicing stroke of a curved sword was effective. The big misconception between european swords and japanese swords are their cutting ability. Japanese swords will usually outperform european swords on the same level as far as cutting light things like clothing, mats, people, etc. However, european swords can take more of a beating and can usually hold their edges better. Another myth is that the Japanese sword is superior to european swords. Like I have stated, this is not true. There have been accounts of a foot-soldier's katana cutting through a european foot-soldier's longsword. Now you have to think about geography. Japan, being a island, made obtaining the raw materials to construct a blade difficult and expensive to obtain. A complex method was usually used, in which iron rich sand was purified and folded into fairly carbon consistent steel. In Europe, iron was fairly easy to come by, and steel was often made. However, a common footsoldier would need to be outfitted cheaply. A european sword for a common soldier would be weak, and probably very poorly crafted, but they had no reason to be well-crafted. A softer sword would not break very easily, and most european swords were used as clubs with edges. However, in Japan, a footsoldier's sword would often be the same quiality as a general's sword because smiths could not afford to make swords cheaply and waste raw materials. Another thing, katana could deflect bullets! Whoo! Everybody asks me that. Now, in fuedal Japan, guns were not very powerful, and could be deflected with a sword. However, chances are you would never get it right, and the bullet would would hit you instead of your blade. Another thing, the blades were often pretty thin, and depending on the temper of the steel, the sword would either bend, crack, or shatter. Now, the idea you get in movies that a person could defect multiple bullets back at the shooter is plain fantasy. The best you could probably do is mess up your blade, and waste time that could be used to get out of the line of fire. Now, that was back then. Even if you could travel fast enough to get a katana perfectly in line, if I shot you with a standard modern handgun, you would probably get shot. The sword would probably get pushed aside, or if your arms were strong enough, the blade would fail. No doubt about it. Japanese swords can cut through steel, as long as the steel is significantly softer than the sword steel, and even then, the sword would be messed up. And you don't block a sword with the edge of a Japanese sword! The edges of Japanese blades are very hard and brittle, good for cutting, but another reason why they can't hold up to the same beating as european swords. Katana are softer on the back of the balde than on the edge. Parries would take place on the back, and even it would really be a parry, not a block. Urban Dictionary

A Japanese style long sword that is curved, and worn thrust through the belt. The primary weapon of the samurai. Can also be called daito (long sword) and, if made in Japan, nihonto (Japanese sword). Urban Dictionary

The katana is an excellent cutting sword; in my opinion, it's the best cutting sword in the world. The flaw in its design is common to all cutting swords: even with its sharp point, the katana is useless against rigid body armor. That is why the katana, like most swords, was a secondary weapon. The samurai's primary weapons were bows or spears. Urban Dictionary

An overrused, overrated form of sword. Sure, they're pretty, and sure, they can work, but they're not the best. Anime and pop-culture are only using them for the former; because Anime is japanese, so are katanas, that's justified, but the runoff of Anime is spilling into pop-culture leading people to believe that the katana is the best form of sword in the known universe. This is why I hate fads. Opinions aside, the Katana is a gently curved blade, single-edged, which lacks a large crossguard, but does have some form of guard between the hilt and blade. It, like the european bastard sword, may be used in one OR two hands, and it was traditionally used by the Samurai. Please, before you create a character for Role Playing, or buy a sword, consider your options, and open your mind to other swords. Urban Dictionary

1.A katana is a sword that, while sharp, tends to shatter if you smack the flat of the blade hard enough. It was not used for blocking of blows, unlike the european sword but rather to deflect the force of an oncoming attack to the side. 2. A fad "supersword" with much popularity that actualy resembles no modern swords. Seen often in RPGs and in cartoons/comics Urban Dictionary

A curved Japanese blade, aka the most fabulous sword of all time. Sometimes referred to as a katanaparty, this sword has stolen Napoleon Bonaparte's hat and refuses to give it back. Beware, it dives. Fabulously. Urban Dictionary

A way beginning and/or young snowboarders handle a steep slope. It is similar to the falling leaf but is considerably faster. You do this by staying on your heelside edge going left and right while quickly alternating which end of the board faces downhill. Urban Dictionary

Words that are spelled similarly to katana:
katana, katanga, katan, katona, karana, ratana, satana, katina, catana, kahana, kavana, kamana, kitana, kalana.

Words that are triggered by (strongly associated with) the word katana:
pyrexia, tant, shuriken, looker, scabbard, randy, samurai, hilt, yumi, kendo, swordsman, sword, kata, wielded, hiro, blade, spartan, sheath, halo, forged, ninja, fancy, blades, feat, trance, zombies, dagger, phantom, sai, gemini, mystic, weapon, revolver, batman, abel, spear, psychic, execute, warrior, mix, atom, cutting, curved, martial, firearms, worn, travis, poison, weapons, armor, lightning, demon, loud, thrust, enemies, rick, cuts, knife, superman, throwing, tribal, manga, remix, shock, mac, japanese, ren, armored, blow, silence, yes, edge, signature, clan, heroes, tech, teenage, pete, kill, shield, wave, killing, skill, returns, wearing, practiced, fastest, handle, combat, anime, neck, fighter, killer, abilities, heaven, belt, phone, fight, straight, wear.

Words that rhyme with katana:
platina, patena, fatten a, flatten a, latin a, manhattan a, matin a, patton a.

Adjectives that are often used to describe katana:
long, japanese, black, own, edged, drawn, sacred.

Consonant match to katana:
catena, cortina, cottony, kootenay, cotonou, kootenai, courtenay, katona, caetano, catenae, catano, catino, cottone, cattani, cotton a, cotton he, cuttino, katuni, kittaneh, kitten he.

Words that sound like katana:
katana, catena, caetano, katina, katona, cadena, catina, katonah, catano, kaduna, khatami, gotama, ketema, kahuna, kahani, kahane, katrina, catan, catrina, cortina, catania, kachina, cottony, keanna, cutten, kootenay, katin, gitano, kodama, catone, katyn, cut in, kashani, cortona, cutaia, cottone, cut-in, gitane, crotona, curtana, caught on, kootenai, gautama, ratana, gaetano, kitten, kittens, chi town, chitown, cowtown, cow town, cayetano, kiwano, keton, kittened, chitarra, kerana, kijana, kahan, cotton, cutting, cotten, cantina, codine, chitin, cadenza, caterina, caton, coton, cocina, catarina, cottons, cuttings, courtenay, cucina, colona, get on, cutting up, catton, cutaway, cadenas, cayton, castano, cattiness, capanna, chitinous, cotan, canana, contini, camina, cut into, cudden, cudney, cut away, cotilla, collina, cadene, cattaneo, cottoned, contone.