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Kotomora

切

cut, cutoff, be sharp

JLPTN4StatusJōyō · grade 2FrequencyTop 500Strokes4

Readings

On'yomi

  • セツ
  • サイ

Kun'yomi

  • き.る
  • -き.る
  • き.り
  • -き.り
  • -ぎ.り
  • き.れる
  • -き.れる
  • き.れ
  • -き.れ
  • -ぎ.れ

Nanori

  • きつ
  • きり
  • ぎり

Meaning

切 centers on the action of cutting or severing, and by extension the quality of being sharp enough to cut. The meanings 'cutoff' and 'be sharp' are natural applications of this core idea.

Most common words using 切

24 of 819
  • 切るきる
    N5

    to cut; to cut through; to perform (surgery)

  • 大切たいせつ
    N5

    important; significant; serious; crucial

  • 一切いっさい
    N2

    all; everything; entirety; the whole

  • 切りきり
    N1

    end; finish; place to stop

  • 適切てきせつ
    N3

    appropriate; suitable; fitting; apt; proper; right; pertinent; relevant

  • 切れきれ
    N3

    piece; slice; strip; scrap

  • 切り替えきりかえ

    exchange; conversion; replacement; switching (to); switchover

  • 裏切るうらぎる
    N3

    to betray; to turn traitor (to); to double-cross; to go back on; to be unfaithful (to)

  • 切れるきれる
    N4

    to break; to snap; to be cut; to split; to crack

  • 親切しんせつ
    N5

    kind; gentle; considerate; generous; friendly; nice

  • 切断せつだん
    N1

    cutting; severance; section; amputation; disconnection

  • 裏切りうらぎり

    treachery; betrayal; perfidy

  • 切ないせつない
    N1

    painful; heartrending; trying

  • 不適切ふてきせつ
    N2

    unsuitable; inappropriate; improper

  • 売り切れうりきれ
    N3

    sold-out

  • 切手きって
    N5

    stamp (postage)

  • 切符きっぷ
    N5

    ticket

  • 貸し切りかしきり
    N1

    reserving (for exclusive use); (full) booking; chartering; block reservation

  • 打ち切りうちきり

    end; close; finish; truncation; discontinuance; closure; cancellation; breaking off; aborting

  • 締め切りしめきり
    N3

    deadline; closing; cut-off

  • 切り替えるきりかえる
    N2

    to change; to switch; to change over (to); to renew

  • 踏切ふみきり
    N3

    railway crossing; railroad crossing; train crossing; level crossing

  • 仕切りしきり

    partition; division; boundary; compartment

  • 区切りくぎり
    N1

    pause (in speech, writing, etc.); punctuation

Explore all words using 切 →

Study

Etymology

切 combines 七 (originally a pictograph of cutting) and 刀 (knife), reinforcing the idea of cutting with a blade.

Meaning mnemonic

Seven 七 knives 刀 are lined up, all sharp and ready to cut. Imagine them slicing through a rope, severing it cleanly.

Reading mnemonic

For セツ, picture a set of seven knives cutting in unison: set -> セツ, and the set of blades makes a sharp cut.