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JLPT N118画 · 18 strokesradical 金freq #1587Jōyō kanjiSpecified Skilled Worker: Agriculture

sickle, scythe, trick

On'yomi (音読み)

  • レン
  • ケン

Kun'yomi (訓読み)

  • かま

Mnemonic

As the farmer swings the golden sickle, its curved blade glints under the sun, ready to harvest the crops with a cunning 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

Words using this kanji

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