竹刀

Orthographic borrowing from Japanese 竹刀(しない) (shinai).

竹刀

1. shinai (bamboo sword)

   Synonym: 竹劍 / 竹剑

Originally a clipping of 撓い竹 (shinaidake)^[1]: 撓い (shinai, the 連用形 (ren'yōkei, “stem or continuative form”) of 撓う (shinau, “to bend”)) + 竹 (take, “bamboo”).

The kanji are an example of jukujikun (熟字訓).

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “attestation of shinai?”)

• (Tokyo) しない [shíꜜnàì] (Atamadaka – [1])^[1]
• IPA^(key): [ɕina̠i]

竹刀(しない) • (shinai) ^{←しなひ (sinafi)?}

1. bamboo sword used in martial arts such as 剣道 (kendō)

• → English: shinai
• → Mandarin: 竹刀 (zhúdāo)

Compound of 竹(たけ) (take, “bamboo”) + 刀(かたな) (katana, “katana”). The katana changes to gatana as an instance of rendaku (連濁)..

• (Tokyo) たけがたな [tàkégáꜜtànà] (Nakadaka – [3])^[1]
• IPA^(key): [ta̠ke̞ɡa̠ta̠na̠]

竹(たけ)刀(がたな) • (takegatana) 

1. katana with a bamboo blade
2. bamboo comb used to comb a horse's mane (Can we verify⁽⁺⁾ this sense?)

• (sword): 竹(たけ)光(みつ) (takemitsu)

From the on'yomi reading of the kanji. (Can this⁽⁺⁾ etymology be sourced?)

• (Tokyo) ちくとー [chìkútóó] (Heiban – [0])^[1]
• IPA^(key): [t͡ɕikɯ̟to̞ː]

竹(ちく)刀(とう) • (chikutō) ^{←ちくたう (tikutau)?}

1. katana with a bamboo blade
2. shinai (bamboo sword used in martial arts such as kendo)