Japanese symbol for “scalpel”
刀
かたな
Romaji: katana
sword (esp. Japanese single-edged); katana
In Japanese, scalpel is 刀, read かたな (katana).
Before using these characters for a tattoo, check them with a native speaker. Dictionary words often have several meanings, and the right choice depends on context.
Meanings
- n sword (esp. Japanese single-edged); katana
- n scalpel
- n chisel; burin; graver
- n knife money (knife-shaped commodity money used in ancient China)
Written forms: 刀. Readings: かたな、とう.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “scalpel”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| メス | メス mesu | scalpel; surgical knife |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 刀剣 | とうけん touken | sword; dagger; knife |
| 太刀 | たち tachi | long sword (as opposed to the shorter katana) |
| 竹刀 | しない shinai | bamboo sword (for kendo); bamboo fencing stick |
| 太刀打ち | たちうち tachiuchi | crossing swords |
| 短刀 | たんとう tantou | short sword; knife; dagger |
| 小刀 | こがたな kogatana | (small) knife |
See also: Chinese symbol for “scalpel”.
Data: JMdict (CC BY-SA 4.0); KANJIDIC2 (CC BY-SA 4.0); KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0); wordfreq (CC BY-SA 4.0 (data)). Retrieved 2026-10-22.