Translation guide
An eyelet is a small hole, often reinforced with a metal or plastic ring, used for lacing, threading, or ventilation. This guide covers how to express this concept in Japanese, from clothing and shoes to crafts and industrial contexts.
eyelet (on a shoe)
eyelet (in general)
The most common meaning: a small hole with a metal or plastic ring for shoelaces, drawstrings, or corsets.
The standard word for a metal or plastic eyelet used in shoes, clothing, and bags. Literally 'pigeon eye', referring to the round shape.
The eyelet on my shoe broke.
This jacket has a lot of eyelets.
Loanword from English, commonly used in fashion and craft contexts. Often interchangeable with 鳩目.
A small hole punched in material for threading ribbon, cord, or for ventilation, not necessarily reinforced with a ring.
General word for 'hole'. When context is clear, this is the simplest way to refer to an eyelet-like hole in fabric or leather.
Make a hole in the cloth to thread the cord through.
Literally 'small hole'. Used in technical or craft instructions when the hole is specifically small.
Punch a small hole in the leather and thread the cord through.
Often written in katakana in craft or DIY contexts, especially for the metal ring itself. Same as 鳩目 but stylized.
A type of fabric or embroidery with small decorative holes, often in a floral pattern.
Both mean 'eyelet' and are often interchangeable. 鳩目 is the traditional Japanese word and is more common in everyday speech for shoe eyelets. アイレット is a loanword and is frequently used in fashion, crafts, and technical contexts. In sewing, アイレット may refer to the metal ring itself, while 鳩目 can refer to the hole with or without the ring.
A buttonhole (ボタンホール) is a slit, not a round hole. Eyelets are round and often reinforced with a ring. Using ボタンホール for an eyelet would be incorrect.
このバッグにはアイレットが付いています。
This bag has eyelets.
Reinforce the sheet using eyelets.