Parts of the Sword used in everyday phrases

[Baka Gaijin]

Good Morning all,

 

In English, the phrases "Lock Stock & Barrel", "Hoist upon his own Petard", "At Daggers drawn" & "Hors de Combat" are used fairly commonly without reference or understanding of their original Martial meanings.

 

I've heard three Japanese phrases, one using Seppa to mean co-exist, another using scarred or nicked Koiguchi meaning being inattentive or lax and one relating to tightness of the Himo on the Kabuto meaning to preserve one's attention.

 

What other phrases related to Sword, Spear or Armour parts are comonly used in Japanese?

 

Cheers

 

Malcolm

[Bugyotsuji]

There are lots and lots of these. All you need is a site with a list. There should be one around here somewhere.

 

Many common expressions come from the world of Tanegashima matchlocks, too.

 

There is a nice little expression from swords that 'Sori ga au', or 'Sori ga awanai', usually used in the latter, ie negative usage. The sori of the sword does or doesn't fit smoothly into the scabbard. It means you don't get along with someone, for example with your wife.

[Nobody]

Ref. http://forums.samurai-archives.com/view ... sc&start=0

[Baka Gaijin]

Thanks Piers and Moriyama san, yet again NMB does what is said on the packet.

 

Cheers

 

Malcolm

[saipan59]

I heard "tsunagi" used once on a Japanese drama (a tsunagi is a wood insert to replace the blade inside a saya, so that the koshirae can be displayed, while the actual blade is somewhere else):

 

The context was a couple of guys talking about a girl (the head hostess at an exclusive club), and this girl was young and new, and had taken over in place of a strong and respected girl, so one of the guys says "...tsunagi desu ne...", meaning that she was a not-so-functional imitation of the original.

 

Pete

[John A Stuart]

Here are a few, just for fun.

剣付くを食わす to burst out in anger kensukuwokuwasu

剣付くを食わす rough scolding kentsuku

刃渡り walking on the edge of a sword hawatari

[Baka Gaijin]

Thank you Pete & John,

 

Moving the topic on slightly, were there any terms for careless handling of the sword e.g. cutting one's own maedate or cutting oneself on noto?

 

Cheers

 

Malcolm

[sencho]

I heard "tsunagi" used once on a Japanese drama (a tsunagi is a wood insert to replace the blade inside a saya, so that the koshirae can be displayed, while the actual blade is somewhere else):

 

The context was a couple of guys talking about a girl (the head hostess at an exclusive club), and this girl was young and new, and had taken over in place of a strong and respected girl, so one of the guys says "...tsunagi desu ne...", meaning that she was a not-so-functional imitation of the original.

 

Pete

 

Pete,

 

I am not sure of the kanji for the nihonto term "tsunagi", but I would assume that it uses the Kanji 繋.., generally meaning to connect, link, bind or fasten together. Seems to describe what we know as a tsunagi fairly well.... however I do not know if the general term came form nihonto, or the other way around...

 

I believe that Tsunagi is also sometimes used to describe a filler or temporary measure, which maybe the subject of your anecdote.

 

Otherwise the guys were in the wrong type of kyabrakura and actually said 綱取り "tsunatori"...

 

Cheers!

[Baka Gaijin]

Good Morning all,

 

I've heard the term "Hamon" being used to exclude from a group or organisation, how does this differ from the term Hamon used in Nihonto?

 

Cheers

 

Malcolm

[Nobody]

They are entirely unrelated to each other.

 

破門 (hamon) – expulsion

刃文 (hamon) – temper pattern

[Baka Gaijin]

Thank you for such a swift reply Moriyama san.

 

Question answered fully yet again.

 

Cheers

 

Malcolm