santoku

American  

[san-toh-koo] / sænˈtoʊ ku /

noun

1. a multipurpose Japanese kitchen knife, usually 5 to 7 inches long, with a fairly straight cutting edge and rounded tip.

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Etymology

Origin of santoku

First recorded in 2000–05; from Japanese: literally, “three virtues, three uses” (slicing, dicing, mincing), from san “three” + -toku “use, virtue”

Example Sentences

The shorter blade is slightly more curved at the tip and the shape borrows aspects of a Japanese santoku, so it’s wider than a Western chef knife, a useful feature.

From New York Times • Feb. 28, 2022

To cut the corn, Jawad recommends using a santoku knife because it "is lighter and smaller in size as compared to a chef’s knife."

From Fox News • Aug. 3, 2021

So program the DVR, sharpen the Shun santoku, and head into the kitchen to make something that's worth eating.

From Salon • Jun. 16, 2010