Translation guide
The English phrasal verb "peel off" has several distinct meanings. This guide covers the most common uses: removing a thin outer layer, detaching a sticker or label, leaving a group, and shedding clothing. Each meaning is explained with natural Japanese expressions.
To strip away a thin covering from a surface, often with fingers or a tool.
General verb for peeling skin, bark, or shells. Often used for fruits, vegetables, or tree bark.
Peel the skin off the apple.
Peel the bark off the tree.
To peel off something stuck on a surface, like a sticker, label, or paint. Emphasizes removal of an adhered layer.
Peel the paint off the wall.
Peel off the sticker.
Intransitive: for skin or a layer to peel off by itself. Often used for sunburned skin or peeling paint.
My skin peeled off from sunburn.
The paint on the wall is peeling off.
Intransitive: for something stuck on to come off. Used for stickers, labels, or bandages peeling off.
The poster peeled off.
The bandage peeled off naturally.
To remove something that is stuck on, often by pulling it away from a surface.
To separate from a group, especially in a line of traffic or a formation.
General phrase meaning 'to leave the line/formation'. Suitable for vehicles or people.
A car peeled off from the line.
He peeled off from the queue.
More formal, often used for military or organized groups.
The fighter jet peeled off from the formation.
Casual way to say 'leave' or 'drop out' of a group or line.
To take off an item of clothing, often in a swift or casual manner.
Standard verb for taking off clothes. Can be used for peeling off sweaty or wet clothes.
Peel off a sweat-soaked shirt.
I peel off my socks as soon as I get home.
Adds the nuance of doing it quickly or casually, similar to 'peel off'.
He peeled off his jacket.
剥く (muku) is for peeling natural layers like fruit skin or bark. 剥がす (hagasu) is for removing something that was stuck on, like a sticker or paint. Using the wrong one can sound unnatural.
Peel an apple (correct / incorrect)
Peel off a sticker (correct / incorrect)
English 'peel off' for leaving a group does not have a direct Japanese equivalent using 剥く or 剥がす. Use phrases like 列から離れる or 抜ける instead.
Traffic is slow, so I'm going to peel off ahead.