Translation guide
How to express 'cut and paste' in Japanese, covering both physical and digital contexts.
The action of cutting and pasting text, files, or data in a computer or smartphone context.
The manual action of cutting paper or materials and pasting them onto something.
The most natural way to describe physically cutting and pasting, often used in arts and crafts.
子供たちは紙を切って貼って、コラージュを作った。
The children cut and pasted paper to make a collage.
Using 'cut and paste' metaphorically to describe editing, rearranging, or plagiarizing content.
カット (katto) is the loanword for 'cut' and is common in digital contexts. 切り取り (kiritori) is the native word and appears in Japanese software menus. Both are understood, but カット is more casual and modern.
「カット」は英語からの外来語で、「切り取り」は日本語です。
'Cut' is a loanword from English, and 'kiritori' is Japanese.
While 切る (kiru) and 貼る (haru) are the verbs for 'cut' and 'paste', using them separately in a digital context sounds unnatural. Use the compound forms or loanwords instead.
The most common and direct loanword for 'cut and paste' in digital contexts. Often abbreviated as カット＆ペースト.
その文章をカットアンドペーストで移動してください。
Please move that text by cutting and pasting.
The native Japanese equivalent, literally 'cut and paste'. Used in software menus and instructions.
編集メニューから「切り取り」と「貼り付け」を選びます。
Select 'Cut' and 'Paste' from the Edit menu.
Abbreviated form using the ampersand, common in informal writing and UI labels.
カット＆ペーストでファイルを整理した。
I organized the files by cutting and pasting.
A compound noun/verb meaning 'cutting and pasting', often used for physical collage or editing documents manually.
写真の切り貼りでアルバムを作る。
Make an album by cutting and pasting photos.
Used figuratively for editing text by cutting and pasting sections, or for patchwork plagiarism.
彼のレポートはインターネットからの切り貼りだ。
His report is just cut and paste from the internet.
Abbreviation of 'copy and paste', often used for plagiarism or lazy editing. Note: this is 'copy and paste', not 'cut and paste', but often used interchangeably in casual contexts.
Strictly means 'copy and paste', not 'cut and paste'. Use only when the distinction is not important.
コピペばかりの文章はオリジナリティがない。
Writing that's just copy-pasted lacks originality.
Cut and paste text → unnatural
Cut and paste text → unnatural