Translation guide
The English word 'piercing' can refer to body piercings (the jewelry or the hole), the act of piercing something, or a sharp, penetrating quality (of sound, cold, eyes, etc.). This guide covers how to express these meanings naturally in Japanese.
Referring to a piercing on the body, such as an earring hole or a stud.
The most common word for body piercing jewelry or the piercing itself. Often used for ear piercings, but can refer to other body parts. Note: イヤリング refers to clip-on earrings, while ピアス is for pierced ears.
I bought a new piercing.
I got my ears pierced.
Specifically refers to body piercings (non-earlobe), like navel, nose, or eyebrow piercings.
I have a navel piercing.
The act of getting a piercing or the piercing process. Less common than ピアス.
The piercing hurt.
Describing a loud, sharp, high-pitched sound that cuts through noise.
Literally 'ear-splitting'. Used for extremely loud, sharp sounds like screams, sirens, or explosions.
I heard a piercing scream.
High-pitched and sharp, often used for voices, cries, or electronic sounds. Can be negative or neutral.
Means 'sharp' and can describe a piercing sound, but is more general. Often used for a sharp cry or noise.
Describing cold that feels like it cuts through you, or a sharp, biting wind.
Literally 'flesh-cutting'. A common phrase for bitterly cold wind or air that feels piercing.
It's a piercing cold.
A piercing wind is blowing.
Literally 'stinging/piercing-like'. Used for cold, pain, or gaze that feels sharp.
I woke up to the piercing cold.
Means 'freezing' or 'biting' cold. More literary and intense.
Describing a sharp, intense, or penetrating look.
A sharp, piercing look. Often implies intensity, intelligence, or suspicion.
He looked at me with piercing eyes.
Literally 'sharp-eyed'. A more formal or literary phrase for a piercing gaze.
Literally 'as if shooting through'. Describes a gaze that feels like it pierces right through you.
A sharp, stabbing physical pain.
The act of making a hole or penetrating something with a sharp object.
To stab or pierce something with a sharp object. Transitive verb.
He pierced the wall with a knife.
To penetrate or pierce through completely. Can be literal or figurative.
To make a hole. A general phrase for piercing or drilling.
I pierced a hole in the leather to make a belt.
ピアス (pierced earrings) requires a hole in the earlobe, while イヤリング (clip-on earrings) does not. Be careful not to confuse them.
I wear clip-ons because piercings look painful.
English 'piercing' often translates to Japanese phrases like 身を切るような or 刺すような, not a single adjective. Avoid directly translating 'piercing' as ピアシング (which usually means the body modification).
Her piercing voice echoed through the room.
A piercing alarm kept sounding.
鋭い叫び声が静寂を破った。
A piercing cry broke the silence.
凍てつく寒気が肌を刺した。
The piercing chill bit into my skin.
The old man fixed me with a piercing gaze.
Her piercing gaze made my heart skip a beat.
矢が盾を貫いた。
The arrow pierced the shield.