Translation guide
The English word 'hacking' can refer to computer security breaking, creative problem-solving, or cutting roughly. This guide helps learners choose the right Japanese expression for each meaning.
Gaining unauthorized access to a computer system or network.
The most direct loanword for 'hacking' in the computer security sense. Widely understood.
彼はハッキングで逮捕された。
He was arrested for hacking.
Literally 'unauthorized access'. A formal term often used in legal or news contexts.
不正アクセス禁止法
Unauthorized Access Prohibition Law
Specifically 'cracking', often used to distinguish malicious hacking from ethical hacking. Less common than ハッキング.
クラッキングは犯罪です。
Cracking is a crime.
Cleverly modifying or repurposing something, often in a tech or maker context.
Loanword for 'hack' as a clever solution or modification. Common in tech and DIY communities.
このハックで作業が楽になる。
This hack makes the work easier.
Ingenuity, resourcefulness, or a clever trick. A native Japanese word that captures the spirit of creative problem-solving.
A 'secret trick' or 'exploit', often used in gaming or software contexts. Implies a non-obvious workaround.
Cutting something with heavy, rough blows.
To chop up, mince, or hack something into pieces. Used for physical cutting.
彼は木を切り刻んだ。
He hacked the wood to pieces.
To hack off or chop with force, emphasizing the striking motion.
A dry, rough cough.
To have a dry cough. Often used for a hacking cough that doesn't produce phlegm.
彼は一晩中空咳をしていた。
He was hacking all night.
Onomatopoeic expression for a light, dry, hacking cough.
子供がコンコンと咳をしている。
The child is hacking (coughing dryly).
The loanword ハッキング only refers to computer hacking. For cutting or chopping, use verbs like 切り刻む or たたき切る.
木をハッキングする
to hack a tree (unnatural)
His ingenuity solved the problem.
Do you know the secret trick for this game?
枝をなたでたたき切った。
I hacked off the branch with a hatchet.