sickle, scythe, trick

About this kanji

The kanji 鎌 (かま) primarily means "sickle" or "scythe," which are tools used for cutting crops. It is most commonly used as a noun. A few relevant compounds include 鎌倉 (かまくら), which refers to the city Kamakura, and 鎌首 (かまくび), meaning "sickle-shaped neck," often used in the context of animals like snakes. Another interesting term is 鎌鼬 (かまいたち), which describes a phenomenon where a cut on the skin is caused by rapid air movement, almost like a swift attack. This kanji can evoke traditional scenes of farming and nature, reflecting its historical significance in Japanese culture.

Example sentences

• 農夫は鎌で草を刈った。

  The farmer mowed the grass with a sickle.

Meanings across languages

English

sickle, scythe, trick

Tiếng Việt

lưỡi hái

日本語

鎌

한국어

낫

中文

镰刀

id

sabuk, sabitan, trik

th

เคียว, เคียวเกี่ยวข้าว, กลอุบาย

es

hoja, guadaña, truco

fr

faucille, faux, astuce

de

Sichel, Sense, Trick

pt

foice, ceifeira, truque

Common compounds

• 鎌倉かまくらKamakura (city)
• 鎌首かまくびsickle-shaped neck (e.g. snake, praying mantis), crooked neck, gooseneck
• 鎌足かまあしlegs bowed in, sitting with heels spread apart
• 鎌鼬かまいたちcut in the skin caused by a vacuum formed by a whirlwind, mythical weasel-like creatures riding on whirlwinds and inflicting sharp, painless wounds
• 鎌形かまがたsickle-shaped, falciform
• 鎖鎌くさりがまsickle and chain (weapon)
• 大鎌おおがまscythe
• 鎌槍かまやりspear with curved or straight cross-blades