切きり紙がみ細ざい工く

き

り

が

み

ざ

い

く

Meanings

noun

paper cutouts; paper cutting craft

Refers to the craft of cutting paper into decorative shapes, similar to kirigami. Often used for children's crafts or traditional decorations.

子こ供どもたちは切きり紙がみ細工ざいくで雪ゆきの結けっ晶しょうを作つくった。
The children made snowflakes with paper cutouts.
切きり紙がみ細工ざいくは日に本ほんの伝でん統とう的てきな遊あそびの一ひとつです。
Paper cutting is one of Japan's traditional pastimes.

Kanji

切cut, cutoff, be sharp
紙paper
細dainty, get thin, taper
工craft, construction, katakana e radical (no. 48)

Related words

切きり絵え
切り絵 is a broader term for paper cutting art, often more artistic and detailed, while 切り紙細工 emphasizes the craft or handiwork aspect, often associated with simple shapes and children's activities.
折おり紙がみ
折り紙 is paper folding, whereas 切り紙細工 involves cutting paper into shapes.

Built from

切きる+紙かみ細ざい工く

Written forms

切り紙細工
- きりがみざいく
  Standard kanji spelling for paper cutout craft.
- きりかみざいく
きりかみざいく

Etymology

Compound of 切り (kiri, 'cutting') + 紙 (kami, 'paper') + 細工 (saiku, 'craftwork'). The reading きりがみざいく reflects rendaku voicing of かみ to がみ and さいく to ざいく.