Translation guide
How to express 'cut into' in Japanese, covering physical cutting, interrupting, and figurative uses.
To slice, carve, or make an incision into a solid object or surface.
To cut into something, often with a single decisive motion or to make a notch. Used for cutting into wood, meat, etc.
肉に切り込みを入れる。
Make a cut into the meat.
彼は木に深く切り込んだ。
He cut deeply into the wood.
To cut into someone or something with a blade, often implying a slashing or attacking motion.
犯人は被害者に切りつけた。
The culprit cut into the victim with a knife.
To cut into fine pieces or to carve patterns. Often used for chopping vegetables or engraving.
玉ねぎを細かく刻む。
Finely chop the onion (cut into small pieces).
To break into an ongoing discussion or action, often verbally.
To cut into a conversation, often abruptly or rudely. 割り込む means to wedge oneself in.
彼は私の話に割り込んだ。
He cut into my conversation.
To cut in with a remark, literally 'insert one's mouth'. Slightly less aggressive than 割り込む.
会議中に口を挟まないでください。
Please don't cut into the meeting (with comments).
To interrupt or cut off someone's speech. More direct and can be rude.
To push in front of others waiting in line.
To cut into a line, physically pushing in. Also used for cutting into traffic.
列に割り込まないでください。
Please don't cut into the line.
あの車が前に割り込んできた。
That car cut in front of me.
To cut into a line from the side. Often used in casual contexts.
横入りはやめてください。
Stop cutting into the line.
To penetrate or make a groove in a surface, often with a sharp instrument.
To bite into, cut into, or dig into a surface. Often used for ropes, wires, or sharp edges that press into something.
ロープが肌に食い込んだ。
The rope cut into my skin.
このナイフはよく食い込む。
This knife cuts in well.
To cut into and tear apart; to slash open. More violent or destructive.
To reduce or take away from something abstract like money or time.
To put pressure on, squeeze, or cut into something like profits or budget. Often used in business contexts.
円高が輸出企業の利益を圧迫している。
The strong yen is cutting into exporters' profits.
To shave off, cut down, or reduce. Used for budgets, time, etc.
コストを削る必要がある。
We need to cut into costs.
睡眠時間を削って勉強した。
I cut into my sleep time to study.
割り込む is for cutting into a line, conversation, or space between things. 食い込む is for something biting or digging into a surface, like a rope into skin or a knife into material.
列に割り込む
cut into a line
ロープが肌に食い込む
the rope cuts into the skin
Do not use 'カットイン' (katto in) for most meanings; it is mainly used in sports or media contexts (e.g., a cut-in shot in film). For physical cutting, use 切り込む or 食い込む depending on the nuance.
彼女は私の言葉を遮った。
She cut into my words (interrupted me).
彼は封筒を切り裂いた。
He cut into the envelope (ripped it open).