镡
surname Tan; guard (on a sword handle); pommel (on a sword handle); dagger; Taiwan pr. [tan2]
Closest English meanings
sword guard
The Calligrapher — Sòng Kè 宋克
Ming calligrapher foremost in his age for clerical-cursive script.
Ming calligrapher (), master of clerical cursive — known for 《急就章》. Ming dynasty
Cultural Story
镡 combines 金 with 覃 and denotes the guard of a sword, the metal collar that protects the hand where blade meets hilt. Excavated bronze and iron swords from the Zhou and Han periods show 镡 cast as part of the weapon, sometimes richly ornamented. 剑镡 names this very part, a small component crucial to both safety and the sword's balance in the hand.
Common words & phrases
- 剑镡 sword guard
- 镡口 blade collar
Read the story behind the character
In collectors' catalogs and martial-arts manuals 镡 still labels the sword guard of a jian or dao, while 镡口 refers to the blade collar just above it. Modern swordsmiths and antique restorers measure the 镡 with care, since its shape tells the weapon's era and school. Though few carry swords today, the term survives wherever fine blades are studied, forged, or displayed.
Own this character
Purchase delivers the original SVG of this glyph, brushed by Sòng Kè 宋克, ready to place on skin, paper, or screen.