Translation guide
The English word "nick" has several distinct meanings. This guide covers the most common uses for learners: a small cut, a notch or groove, stealing something, and British slang for police station or arrest. Other rare or technical meanings are omitted.
To express a minor cut or scratch on skin or a surface.
General term for a cut or incision, often used for small cuts.
I got a small nick on my finger from the paper.
Specifically a scratch or graze, like a superficial nick.
General word for wound or injury; can be used for a nick, but less specific.
To describe a small cut or indentation made on an object, often for marking or fitting.
A notch or nick cut into something, like a tally mark.
To express stealing something, especially in a casual or petty way.
Standard verb for stealing; can be used for nicking something.
To refer to a police station or being arrested, as in British English slang.
The British slang meaning 'police station' or 'arrest' is not directly translatable into Japanese slang. Use standard terms like 警察署 or 逮捕. Avoid literal translations like ニック, which is not understood.
切り傷 (kirikizu) is a cut, while かすり傷 (kasurikizu) is a scratch. For a very minor nick, かすり傷 may be more natural. 傷 (kizu) is a general term for any injury.
転んでひざにかすり傷ができた。
I fell and got a nick on my knee.
I nicked myself with the razor.
I counted by making nicks on a stick.
A cut or notch, often deeper or more deliberate.
Make a nick in the wood.
Loanword from English, used in technical contexts like volume knobs or settings.
Adjust the volume by nicks.
Someone nicked my wallet.
Casual, slightly slangy verb for pilfering or swiping something small.
He nicked some candy from the store.
Very casual slang for stealing or swiping; can also mean copying or plagiarizing.
That guy nicked my idea.
Standard word for police station. Use this for clarity.
He was taken to the nick.
Noun for arrest. Use with される for 'get nicked'.
He got nicked for shoplifting.
Colloquial phrase meaning 'get caught by the police', similar to 'get nicked'.
I got nicked for speeding.