sickle

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: No on reading is listed, and the kun reading is かま. It has 18 strokes. It appears in words for a sickle and a neck curved like one.
• Basic usage: 鎌 is read かま, and 鎌首 is read かまくび.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 鎌 / 鎌首
  • 鎌 means sickle and is read かま. It refers to a sickle used to cut grass.
  • 農夫は鎌で畑の草を刈った。 means “The farmer cut the grass in the field with a sickle.”
  • 鎌首 means raised curved neck and is read かまくび. It refers to a snake’s neck raised in a curve like a sickle.
  • 蛇が鎌首をもたげてこちらを見た。 means “The snake raised its sickle-shaped neck and looked this way.”