Aikuchi 合口 : sword mounting without a tsuba.
hitsu 櫃 : aperture in the tsuba to accommodate the handles of the kozuka and kôgai.
horimono 彫物 : engraved designs on sword blades.
iroe 色绘 : polychromatic effects; on sword fittings, refers to the combination of variously coloured metals and alloys as inlay.
kaô 花押 ou kakihan 書き判 : monogram seal added to the signature.
ken 剣 : straight, double-edged blade.
koshirae 拵え : sword mounting.
mokume-ji 木目地 : wood-grain effect produced by the combination of various metals.
nanako 魚子 : granulated, or “fish roe” effect, usually used as a background pattern, and produced by a tiny concave punch.
shakudô 赤銅 : alloy of copper and between 4% and 25% gold; highly malleable, it takes on a deep black patina.
shibuichi 四分一 : alloy composed theoretically of a quarter silver and three-quarters copper; in practice, the proportion of silver can vary between 13% and 50%.
sawari 砂張 : alloy used for inlay, composed of copper, lead, and tin.
tantô 短刀 : sword blade measuring less than 30 cm in length.
wakizashi 脇差 : sword blade measuring between 30 cm and 60 cm in length.