Translation guide
The English word 'hack' has several distinct meanings. This guide covers the most common ones for learners: cutting roughly, dealing with a difficult situation, gaining unauthorized computer access, and a clever solution or tip. It also notes the meaning of a mediocre writer, but this is less common.
To cut something in a rough, heavy, or careless way, often with a large tool.
Means to chop or cut into small pieces, often with a sense of hacking away. Used for both literal cutting and figurative 'hacking' (e.g., a budget).
彼は肉を包丁で切り刻んだ。
He hacked the meat with a kitchen knife.
Literally 'strike and cut', implying a forceful hacking motion, like chopping wood or a heavy blow.
彼は斧で枝をたたき切った。
He hacked off the branch with an axe.
To slash or cut at someone, often in an attack. Implies a hacking motion with a blade.
犯人は被害者をナイフで切りつけた。
The culprit hacked at the victim with a knife.
To deal with something challenging, often implying 'I can handle it' or 'I'll get through it'.
A very common phrase meaning 'to manage somehow' or 'to do something about it'. It conveys the idea of hacking a solution together.
締め切りに間に合うように、なんとかします。
I'll hack it so we meet the deadline.
Means to manage or make do with limited resources, like time or money. Similar to 'hacking' a budget or schedule.
少ない予算でやりくりしなければならない。
We have to hack it with a small budget.
To weather or get through a difficult period. Can be used for 'hacking' a tough situation.
To break into a computer system or network, often with malicious intent.
The direct loanword from English, commonly used in tech contexts. Note: it's a suru-verb.
誰かが会社のサーバーをハッキングした。
Someone hacked the company's server.
Formal term meaning 'unauthorized access'. Used in legal or official contexts.
彼は不正アクセスの疑いで逮捕された。
He was arrested on suspicion of hacking.
A smart, often unconventional shortcut or trick to make something easier or more efficient.
Literally 'back technique', used for tricks, exploits, or secret methods, especially in games or daily life. Perfect for 'life hack'.
この裏技を使えば、掃除がずっと楽になる。
If you use this hack, cleaning becomes much easier.
Means ingenuity, resourcefulness, or a clever device. It's a broader term for a smart idea or trick.
A writer who produces low-quality work for money, or a journalist who churns out dull articles.
Literally 'three-penny writer', a derogatory term for a hack writer. Very literary and old-fashioned.
彼はただの三文文士に過ぎない。
He's nothing but a hack writer.
A self-deprecating or insulting term for someone who writes trashy prose. Not common.
自分を駄文書きだと思っている。
I consider myself a hack.
While 'ハック' is understood in compound words like 'ライフハック', using it alone to mean a clever trick is unnatural. Use '裏技' or '工夫' instead.
この裏技を試してみて。
Try this hack.
Both mean to hack or chop, but '切り刻む' focuses on cutting into small pieces (like mincing), while 'たたき切る' emphasizes a single forceful blow to sever something (like chopping off a branch).
We have to hack this difficult period.
The direct loanword 'life hack', widely understood among younger people and in media.
このライフハックで毎朝の時間を節約できる。
This life hack can save you time every morning.
With a little hack, work efficiency improves.