切きり細こま裂ざく

き

り

こ

ま

ざ

く

Meanings

1

godan verb (-ku), transitive verb

cut up small; chop into fine pieces

Rare verb meaning to cut something into very small pieces; modern Japanese more often uses 細かく切る or みじん切りにする.

古ふるい料りょう理り本ぼんには「肉にくを切きり細こま裂ざく」と書かいてある。
An old cookbook says 'cut the meat up small.'

cut, cutoff, be sharp

細dainty, get thin, taper

裂split, rend, tear

Similar words

細こまかく切きる
Common modern expression for cutting into small pieces; 切り細裂く is a rare, literary alternative.
みじん切ぎりにする
Standard term for chopping finely, especially in cooking; 切り細裂く is much rarer and more emphatic.

Etymology

Compound of 切る (cut) + 細 (fine) + 裂く (tear/split). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the spelling is conventionally associated with cutting into very small pieces.