A versatile Japanese kitchen knife with a relatively short blade, typically ranging from 160 mm to 180 mm in length, or approximately 6.5 inches to 7 inches. The word "Santoku" translates to "three virtues" or "three uses" in Japanese, referring to the knife's ability to handle three essential kitchen tasks: slicing, dicing, and mincing. The flat blade profile also provides ample surface area for transferring chopped ingredients from the cutting board to the pan.