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SŌ
草
grass · weeds · herbs
✎ Editor's glossgrass
Naruto · Weapons · Kanji file 034
Kusanagi Sword 草薙の剣
Pronounced ku·sa·na·gi no tsu·ru·gi
The Kusanagi Sword (草薙の剣) is a divine sword of Japanese mythology and one of the Three Imperial Regalia. When Susanoo slew the eight-headed serpent Yamata no Orochi, it is said to have emerged from the serpent's tail. In Naruto, it may not refer to one specific blade at all — the name seems to work as a title for a sword: in the index of the official databook Jin no Sho, it appears as "Kusanagi Sword: Kū no Tachi" (used by Orochimaru) and "Kusanagi Sword: Chidorigatana" (used by Sasuke). And Japanese mythology nerds? We grinned the moment Orochimaru, of all people, drew a Kusanagi.
⛩ Appears in Japanese mythologyOne of the Three Imperial Regalia
📖 Databook: Tō no Sho, p. 209 · Sha no Sho, p. 248
Speed
Breaking down the kanji
Here's what each character means — and how to write it. In Japan, following the correct stroke order is considered the key to writing kanji beautifully. Readings, stroke counts and core meanings below come directly from the KANJIDIC2 dictionary database. The red ✎ line is the editor's gloss — the meaning that is actually alive in this name, chosen by our editors from a Japanese kanji dictionary.
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TEI
薙
mow down (the enemy)
✎ Editor's glossto mow down — to cut down with a blade
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KEN
剣
sabre · sword · blade
✎ Editor's glosssword
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Original artwork — free to save
The kanji, on one sheet
A reference card we drew ourselves — the characters in Japanese brush style.
Quick answers
FAQ
How many strokes is 草薙の剣?
36 in total: 草 is 9, 薙 is 16, の is 1, 剣 is 10.
How do you pronounce Kusanagi Sword?
Say it ku·sa·na·gi no tsu·ru·gi (草薙の剣). Japanese has no strong word stress: give each syllable about the same length and weight, and keep the vowels short and clear — a as in “father,” i as in “machine,” u as in “food,” e as in “met,” o as in “go.”
What characters make up Kusanagi Sword?
草薙の剣 — 草, then 薙, then の, then 剣. Core meanings from the KANJIDIC2 dictionary database: 草 grass · weeds; 薙 mow down (the enemy); 剣 sabre · sword.
Can I use the copied kanji anywhere?
Yes — it's standard Unicode text and works on any modern OS. One caution before you print or ink it: make sure the font is a Japanese one. Some fonts render the same characters in Chinese style, and the difference shows.