sanmai

S1A1N1M3A1I1

noun

A construction method for Japanese-style blade steels, usually sandwiching a hardenable steel in a taco of flexible steel, that is forge-welded together, leaving a hardenable edge steel and flexible spine steel, for single-edged blades.

OriginJapanese 三枚 →
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Meanings

nounsanmai (countable and uncountable, plural sanmai)
  1. uncountableA construction method for Japanese-style blade steels, usually sandwiching a hardenable steel in a taco of flexible steel, that is forge-welded together, leaving a hardenable edge steel and flexible spine steel, for single-edged blades.
  2. countableA steel sandwich made by this method, before and after being welded.

Origin

  1. Japanese三枚
  2. Englishsanmai

From Japanese 三枚 (sanmai (sanmai), さんまい) (literally, 3 sheets).

More words from Japanese

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

ManisaSamianNamsaiMaasinManasi
Cite this entry
APA

sanmai. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sanmai

MLA

“sanmai.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sanmai. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sanmai,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sanmai.

Source: sanmai on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.