Translation guide
The English word "crimping" refers to joining two pieces of material by deforming one or both to hold the other. In Japanese, the translation depends heavily on the context: electrical work, cooking, metalworking, or hair styling. There is no single all-purpose verb.
To attach a terminal or connector to a wire by squeezing it with a special tool
The standard technical term for crimping in electrical and mechanical contexts. Literally 'pressure-attach'. Used for terminals, connectors, and ferrules.
端子を電線に圧着する。
Crimp the terminal onto the wire.
Please use a crimping tool.
A general verb for crimping, swaging, or caulking metal. Common in manufacturing and DIY. Often used for metal fittings.
金具をかしめて固定する。
Crimp the metal fitting to secure it.
Noun: 'crimp terminal' or 'crimp connector'. The part itself, not the action.
この圧着端子はサイズが合わない。
This crimp terminal is the wrong size.
To press the edges of dough together to seal in filling, e.g., for dumplings or pie crust
Means 'to pinch'. In cooking, it describes the action of pinching dough edges to seal or decorate. Very common for gyoza and pies.
餃子の皮の端をつまんで閉じる。
Pinch the edges of the gyoza wrapper to seal it.
パイ生地の縁をつまんで模様をつける。
Crimp the edge of the pie crust to make a pattern.
Literally 'make pleats'. Used specifically for crimping gyoza or dumpling edges into a pleated pattern.
餃子の皮にひだを作りながら包む。
Wrap the gyoza while crimping pleats into the wrapper.
Literally 'press with a fork'. Used for Western-style pies or pastries when you crimp the edge with a fork.
パイの縁をフォークで押さえて閉じる。
Crimp the pie edge with a fork to seal it.
To make hair wavy or zigzag using a special heated tool
Loanword from English 'crimp'. Used in beauty contexts for using a crimping iron. Often written in katakana.
髪をクリンプしてボリュームを出す。
Crimp your hair to add volume.
General phrase for 'add waves'. Not specific to crimping, but understood when context is clear.
コテで細かくウェーブをつける。
Use a curling iron to create tight waves (crimp).
Noun: 'crimping iron'. The tool itself.
新しいクリンパーを買った。
I bought a new crimping iron.
To bend sheet metal into a series of ridges or folds for strength
Literally 'corrugated sheet processing'. Used in industrial contexts for making corrugated metal.
鉄板を波板加工して強度を上げる。
Crimp the steel sheet to increase its strength.
Knurling, which is a similar process of impressing a pattern onto metal. Sometimes translated as crimping in specific contexts.
この部品はローレット加工が施されている。
This part has been crimped (knurled).
There is no single Japanese verb that covers all meanings of 'crimp'. Using 圧着する for cooking or つまむ for electrical work will cause confusion. Always choose the term based on the specific action and material.