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.
Make a cut into the meat.
He cut deeply into the wood.
To cut into someone or something with a blade, often implying a slashing or attacking motion.
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.
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.
He cut into my conversation.
To cut in with a remark, literally 'insert one's mouth'. Slightly less aggressive than 割り込む.
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 penetrate or make a groove in a surface, often with a sharp instrument.
To reduce or take away from something abstract like money or time.
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.
cut into a line
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).
That car cut in front of me.
This knife cuts in well.
彼は封筒を切り裂いた。
He cut into the envelope (ripped it open).
睡眠時間を削って勉強した。
I cut into my sleep time to study.