English
kunai
Kunai comes from Japanese 苦無.
- Japanesemodern苦無くない, kunai
- Englishtodaykunai
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Japanesemodern苦無くない, kunai
- Englishtodaykunai
Every English word from Japanese 苦無
Another origin of kunai
- Tolaimodernkunəi‘long grass’
- Tok Pisinmodernkunai‘grass, grassland’
- Englishtodaysame form
Today it means
noun A Japanese tool and weapon, possibly derived from the masonry trowel, used as a weapon by ninja or samurai.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Japanese 苦無 / kunai