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.
新しいピアスを買った。
I bought a new piercing.
耳にピアスを開けた。
I got my ears pierced.
Specifically refers to body piercings (non-earlobe), like navel, nose, or eyebrow piercings.
へそにボディピアスをしている。
I have a navel piercing.
The act of getting a piercing or the piercing process. Less common than ピアス.
ピアッシングは痛かった。
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.
耳をつんざくような悲鳴が聞こえた。
I heard a piercing scream.
High-pitched and sharp, often used for voices, cries, or electronic sounds. Can be negative or neutral.
彼女の甲高い声が部屋中に響いた。
Her piercing voice echoed through the room.
甲高い警報音が鳴り続けた。
A piercing alarm kept sounding.
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.
身を切るような寒さだ。
It's a piercing cold.
身を切るような風が吹いている。
A piercing wind is blowing.
Literally 'stinging/piercing-like'. Used for cold, pain, or gaze that feels sharp.
刺すような寒さで目が覚めた。
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.
彼は鋭い目つきで私を見た。
He looked at me with piercing eyes.
Literally 'sharp-eyed'. A more formal or literary phrase for a piercing gaze.
その老人は眼光鋭く私を見据えた。
The old man fixed me with a piercing gaze.
Literally 'as if shooting through'. Describes a gaze that feels like it pierces right through you.
彼女の射抜くような視線にドキッとした。
Her piercing gaze made my heart skip a beat.
A sharp, stabbing physical pain.
A stinging or piercing pain, like a needle or knife.
胸に刺すような痛みを感じた。
I felt a piercing pain in my chest.
A sharp, acute pain. Often used for sudden, intense pain.
腰に鋭い痛みが走った。
A piercing pain shot through my lower back.
The act of making a hole or penetrating something with a sharp object.
To stab or pierce something with a sharp object. Transitive verb.
彼はナイフを壁に突き刺した。
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.
革に穴を開けてベルトを作った。
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.
私はピアスは痛そうだからイヤリングにしている。
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).
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.
矢が盾を貫いた。
The arrow pierced the shield.