# kendama

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈkɛnˌdɑːmə/

## Definitions
1. A traditional Japanese toy with an attached ball that can be caught in any of three cups or on a spike.

## Etymology
Borrowed from Japanese けん玉 (けんだま, kendama), from 拳 (けん, ken, “game played with the hands; fist”) or 剣 (けん, ken, “sword”) + 玉 (たま, tama, “ball”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/kendama