Translation guide
In Japanese, the most common word for scissors is はさみ. There are also specific terms for different types of scissors, such as sewing scissors or pruning shears. This guide covers the main words and how to use them naturally.
The learner wants to refer to ordinary scissors used for cutting paper, cloth, etc.
The standard word for scissors. Can be written in hiragana or as 鋏, but hiragana is more common in everyday use.
はさみを貸してください。
Please lend me some scissors.
そのはさみはよく切れる。
Those scissors cut well.
The learner wants to refer to scissors specifically designed for cutting fabric.
Scissors used for cutting cloth in sewing. The blade is typically longer and sharper than regular scissors.
裁ちばさみで布を切る。
Cut the fabric with sewing scissors.
Heavy-duty shears for thick woolen cloth. A specialized term used in tailoring.
ラシャ鋏は厚手の生地に使う。
Tailor's shears are used for thick fabrics.
The learner wants to refer to scissors used for gardening or cutting plants.
Pruning shears for trimming branches and plants. Common in gardening contexts.
剪定ばさみで枝を切る。
Trim the branches with pruning shears.
Garden scissors for shaping hedges and shrubs. Often used interchangeably with 剪定ばさみ.
植木ばさみで生け垣を整える。
Trim the hedge with garden shears.
The learner wants to refer to scissors used in the kitchen for food preparation.
Scissors designed for kitchen use, often with serrated blades and a bottle opener. A common household item.
キッチンばさみで鶏肉を切る。
Cut the chicken with kitchen scissors.
The learner wants to refer to the 'scissors' hand gesture in the game rock-paper-scissors.
The 'scissors' gesture in じゃんけん (rock-paper-scissors). Often said as チョキ.
じゃんけんぽん、チョキ！
Rock, paper, scissors... scissors!
Scissors are counted with the counter 丁 (ちょう) for tools, or sometimes with 本 (ほん) for long objects. For example: はさみ一丁 (いっちょう) or はさみ一本 (いっぽん).