Translation guide
The English phrasal verb 'cut out' has several distinct meanings. This guide covers the most common ones for learners: removing something by cutting, stopping a habit or behavior, a motor suddenly stopping, leaving quickly, and being suited for something.
To remove a shape or piece from a larger material using scissors or a knife.
General verb for cutting something out, such as a picture from a magazine or a shape from paper.
I cut out a favorite photo from a magazine.
Emphasizes cutting off and taking a piece; often used for cutting out a section or coupon.
Please cut out the coupon and bring it.
To hollow out or cut out a hole, often in wood or a solid object.
I cut out a mask from wood.
To completely stop a habit, activity, or consumption of something, often for health or moral reasons.
The most common and versatile way to say 'stop' or 'quit' a habit. Can be used with a noun or verb in dictionary form + の.
I decided to cut out smoking.
I'm thinking of cutting out sweets.
Stronger, more formal word for cutting off or abstaining from something, often used with alcohol, cigarettes, or bad habits.
Similar to 断つ, but can also mean to sever ties or cut off supply. For habits, 断つ is more common.
When an engine, motor, or machine stops working abruptly, often due to a fault.
General intransitive verb for stopping. For engines, it implies a sudden halt.
The engine suddenly cut out.
Colloquial abbreviation of 'engine stall', used specifically for car engines stalling.
The car cut out on the hill.
Formal term for stopping or halting, used in technical contexts.
The motor cut out suddenly.
To depart or go away hastily, often used in informal commands.
To leave a place, often with a nuance of walking away. Can be used in commands.
Cut out from here!
To go out and leave; common in casual commands like 'Get out!'
Cut it out! (Leave!)
Literally 'disappear', used rudely to tell someone to get lost.
To have the necessary qualities or aptitude for a particular role or task. Often used in the negative: 'not cut out for'.
English 'cut out' for stopping a habit cannot be directly translated with cutting verbs like 切る. Use やめる or 断つ instead.
cut out cigarettes (literal, unnatural)
切り抜く focuses on cutting out a shape from within a material (like a picture from a page), while 切り取る emphasizes cutting off and removing a piece (like a coupon from a sheet).
cut out an article from the newspaper
cut out the application form
I cut out alcohol and regained my health.
It's hard to cut out bad habits.
Cut out! (Get lost!)