How to Write 镡 (chán) — Meaning “sword guard”

Picture a metal (钅) shield for your hand that looks like a deep dish (覃, meaning 'deep'), protecting you from the blade. The guard is like a little metal tray that catches the sword's edge.

Write the left radical 钅 first: left-falling stroke, then three horizontals, a vertical, and a final upward flick. Then write the right part 覃: the top 覀 (like 西) and bottom 早. Common mistakes include making the right side too wide or forgetting the small vertical stroke inside 覀.

镡 means 'sword guard' and has the right part 覃. 镆 (mò) refers to molybdenum or a legendary sword and uses 莫 on the right. 镇 (zhèn) means 'to press' or 'town' and uses 真. Visually, the right sides are completely different, so focus on the distinct components.

You will find 镡 mostly in historical or antique contexts, such as 剑镡 (sword guard) and 刀镡 (tsuba). It is a specialized term for sword collectors and martial arts enthusiasts, and it also appears in Japanese sword culture where the guard is called 镡 (tsuba).

Common words containing 镡 include: 剑镡 (jiàn chán) — Sword guard; 刀镡 (dāo chán) — Sword guard (tsuba); 铜镡 (tóng chán) — Copper sword guard.