Feng Shui Tips: Knives Make Bad Gifts

When it comes to gifts, we often seek something meaningful, useful, or symbolic. But in the realm of Feng Shui—the ancient Chinese art of harmonising environments—not all useful gifts carry positive energy. One item in particular that raises eyebrows among Feng Shui practitioners is the knife. Despite being a common household essential, knives are believed to carry symbolic weight that can negatively impact relationships and energy flow, especially when exchanged as gifts.

The two times I was given a knife as a house gift were from someone who had no cognisance of Feng Shui and didn’t care about cultural sensitivities. Long story short, that friendship is a thing of a past now, not because of the knives though, but they certainly were a powerful foreshadowing. In Feng Shui, everything has energy and the shape, material, and purpose of an object can affect how that energy moves in your home and life. Knives, by their very nature, are sharp, aggressive, and designed to cut. This cutting energy, while necessary in the kitchen, represents division, conflict, and severance when viewed through a symbolic lens.

Giving someone a knife as a gift is believed to 

• “Cut” the relationship: The sharpness symbolises the potential to sever ties or cause friction between you and the recipient.
• Create hostile energy: Knives can bring “sha chi” or negative energy, especially if not stored properly.
• Interrupt harmony in the home: When improperly placed or energetically charged, knives may disrupt the peaceful, balanced atmosphere Feng Shui aims to cultivate.

Even outside of Feng Shui, many cultures believe that giving knives can be bad luck. But within Feng Shui, the reasoning goes deeper:

• It Symbolises Harm: Giving a knife — even a beautiful, high-end chef’s knife — might unintentionally symbolise harm or aggression.
• Breaks the Energetic Bond: It’s seen as a gesture that may “cut off” the good fortune or emotional connection between people.
• Bad Energy Transfer: If the knife is second-hand or improperly cleansed energetically, it can carry stagnant or negative energy into the recipient’s home.

Is there a workaround? Absolutely! If you absolutely must gift a knife—say, for a wedding registry or a culinary enthusiast—you can neutralise the bad omen with a simple Feng Shui ritual: ask the recipient to “pay” you a small coin, such as a penny or a symbolic amount. This exchange turns the gift into a transaction, breaking the energetic symbolism of a severed bond. In essence, it’s no longer a gift—it’s a purchase. This symbolic act is widely accepted as a way to preserve goodwill and avoid bad luck.

Although the following points may be self-evident (believe me, even I scoffed at this when I went through the training and then later on the research material), how you store and use knives can impact your household energy:

• Keep them out of sight: Don’t display knives on countertops or walls. Store them in drawers or knife blocks to reduce visible “cutting” energy.
• Avoid hanging knives: Hanging sharp objects can create subconscious tension and chaotic chi.
• Clean them regularly: Just like mirrors or glass, clean knives can help maintain clarity and positive energy in your kitchen.

While knives are essential tools, they carry potent symbolism in Feng Shui. When given as a gift, they may unintentionally send a message of division or invite negative energy. If you want to respect both the practical and spiritual dimensions of gifting, avoid knives, or use the coin workaround to neutralise the energetic impact. Sometimes, intention matters as much as the item itself.