A medical instrument according to the invention has an elongate shank, and a tool which is arranged on a distal end portion of the shank and which comprises two tool elements interacting with each other, of which at least one tool element is movable by a longitudinally displaceable first transmission element. A distal end portion of the first transmission element has a surface inclined with respect to a direction of displacement, and the distal end portion of the shank, or an element connected non-displaceably thereto, has a mating surface which is inclined with respect to the direction of displacement and which, with the inclined surface, forms an interspace dependent on a displacement of the distal end portion of the first transmission element.
