The Cai Dao: China's All-Purpose Blade
The Chinese cleaver, or cai dao, is widely misunderstood in Western kitchens. Despite looking like a meat cleaver, this thin, lightweight blade is NOT for bones. It is the all-purpose kitchen knife that handles 90% of Chinese cooking: slicing, dicing, mincing, crushing garlic, and scooping ingredients from board to wok. XinZuo Chinese cleavers are forged in Yangjiang with thin, sharp edges designed for vegetables and boneless proteins. The tall blade provides knuckle clearance and doubles as a bench scraper. Once you master the push-cut technique, you will understand why Chinese home cooks have used just one knife for centuries. For bone work, use a Western cleaver instead.
Learn more about Chinese cleavers
Chinese cleaver vs Western cleaver: completely different tools for completely different jobs. Chinese vs Western cleaver guide
Vegetable cleaver vs chef knife: when the Chinese cleaver outperforms a Western blade. Vegetable cleaver vs chef knife
Master the push cut and scoop technique that Chinese cleavers are built for. Essential knife techniques
Looking for a heavy-duty bone cleaver instead? Browse our Western-style cleavers. Shop Cleavers
The nakiri shares the tall blade profile of a Chinese cleaver but with a lighter, thinner Japanese design. Shop Nakiri Knives