godan verb (-ru), transitive verb
cut; cut through; perform surgery
The core transitive meaning: cut something physically with a blade or similar tool. It can also be used for making a surgical incision.
The doctor made an incision in the patient's abdomen.
godan verb (-ru), transitive verb
sever ties; break off a connection
Used for cutting off relationships, connections, obligations, or contact; common in fixed collocations such as 縁を切る.
See also: 縁を切る
彼は昔の友人と縁を切った。
He cut ties with his old friend.
godan verb (-ru), transitive verb
Used for stopping the operation of lights, power, engines, appliances, and similar devices.
寝る前に電気を切ってください。
Please turn off the light before going to bed.
godan verb (-ru), transitive verb
end a conversation; hang up; disconnect
Especially common with 電話, meaning to end a call or disconnect a line.
See also: 電話を切る
話が終わると、彼女はすぐ電話を切った。
When the conversation ended, she hung up right away.
godan verb (-ru), transitive verb
punch a ticket; tear off a stub
Used for processing tickets by cutting, punching, or tearing off part of them.
係員が入口でチケットを切った。
The attendant punched the ticket at the entrance.
godan verb (-ru), transitive verb
open something sealed; break a seal
Often appears as 封を切る, meaning to open an envelope, package, or sealed item for the first time.
彼は届いたばかりの手紙の封を切った。
He opened the letter that had just arrived.
godan verb (-ru), transitive verb
start; make a start
Usually found in collocations such as スタートを切る, meaning to begin an action, race, project, or new phase.
新しいチームは順調なスタートを切った。
The new team made a smooth start.
godan verb (-ru), transitive verb
set a limit; come in under a limit; issue a cheque
Covers several set patterns: 期限を切る for setting a deadline, time or number expressions such as 10秒を切る for going below a limit, and 小切手を切る for writing or issuing a cheque.
申し込みの期限を今月末に切った。
They set the application deadline for the end of this month.
彼は百メートルで十秒を切った。
He ran the 100 meters in under ten seconds.
会社は取引先に小切手を切った。
The company issued a cheque to the client.
godan verb (-ru), transitive verb
reduce; discount; beat down a price
Limited compared with the more common compound 値切る; used around prices or amounts being cut down.
See also: 値切る
市場で値を切って、少し安くしてもらった。
I bargained the price down at the market and got it a little cheaper.
godan verb (-ru), transitive verb
drain; shake off water; let drip-dry
Common with 水気, 油, and similar liquids: remove excess liquid by draining, shaking, or letting it run off.
洗った野菜の水気をよく切る。
Drain the washed vegetables well.
godan verb (-ru), transitive verb
Used for moving through or across something as if cutting a path, often in expressions involving waves, wind, or space.
船は波を切って進んだ。
The boat cut through the waves.
godan verb (-ru), transitive verb
criticize sharply; cut down verbally
A figurative use for sharply criticizing or dismissing something; often has a forceful, cutting tone.
評論家はその映画をばっさり切った。
The critic sharply cut down the film.
godan verb (-ru), transitive verb
act decisively; take the lead; strike a pose
Idiomatic uses in set phrases: 先陣を切る means to go first or lead the way, 啖呵を切る means to speak out boldly, and 見得を切る is a kabuki expression for striking a dramatic pose.
若手社員が改革の先陣を切った。
A young employee took the lead in the reforms.
彼は大勢の前で啖呵を切った。
He spoke out boldly in front of everyone.
役者が舞台の中央で見得を切った。
The actor struck a dramatic mie pose at center stage.
godan verb (-ru), transitive verb
turn a steering wheel; turn a vehicle
Used with ハンドル and similar controls, meaning to turn the steering wheel or direct a vehicle.
See also: ハンドルを切る
交差点でハンドルを右に切った。
I turned the steering wheel to the right at the intersection.
godan verb (-ru), transitive verb
slice a ball; put spin on a ball; make a ball curve
Sports and games use: to strike or handle a ball so that it bends, curls, or has spin.
卓球でボールを横に切る。
In table tennis, you slice the ball sideways.
godan verb (-ru), transitive verb
shuffle cards
A standard card-game use, especially with トランプ or カード.
ゲームを始める前にトランプをよく切った。
We shuffled the cards well before starting the game.
godan verb (-ru), transitive verb
discard a mahjong tile
Mahjong term for discarding a tile from one's hand.
彼は安全牌を切った。
He discarded a safe tile.
godan verb (-ru), transitive verb
dismiss; sack; expel; cut loose
A blunt figurative use for removing someone from a job, group, or relationship; can sound harsh when used of people.
会社は成績の悪い営業担当を切った。
The company cut loose the poorly performing sales representative.
godan verb (-ru), transitive verb
cut a groove; cut a stencil
Used for cutting or incising grooves; the mimeograph-stencil use is old or technical and not common in ordinary modern conversation.
職人が板に細い溝を切った。
The craftsman cut a narrow groove into the board.
godan verb (-ru), transitive verb
trump; take with a trump card
Card-game use, related to 切り札: to beat another card by playing a trump.
See also: 切り札
相手のエースを切り札で切った。
I trumped the opponent's ace with a trump card.
godan verb (-ru), transitive verb
cut the connection between groups
Go-game term for playing so that two opposing groups are no longer connected; the spelling キる is sometimes used.
See also: キリ
黒は白の二子の連絡を切った。
Black cut the connection between White's two stones.
godan verb (-ru), transitive verb
start a fire by friction; strike fire with flint
Only when written 切る / 鑽る
Rare traditional use for producing fire with wood friction or by striking metal and stone; also lists the spelling 鑽る.
昔は火打ち石で火を切った。
In the past, people struck fire with flint.
godan verb (-ru), transitive verb
trace a shape in the air; cut a shape through the air
Used when a sword or similar object is moved through the air so as to draw or trace a shape.
彼は刀で空を十文字に切った。
He traced a cross through the air with his sword.
suffix, godan verb (-ru)
Suffix after the masu-stem of a verb, as in 使い切る or 読み切る, emphasizing completion or using something up.
See also: 使い切る
今月中に予算を使い切った。
We used up the budget within the month.
suffix, godan verb (-ru)
be completely; be utterly; be terribly
Suffix after the masu-stem, often with states or feelings such as 疲れ切る, 困り切る, or 冷え切る, emphasizing an extreme condition.
See also: 疲れ切る
彼は長い会議のあと疲れ切っていた。
He was completely exhausted after the long meeting.
suffix, godan verb (-ru)
do decisively; do clearly; do firmly
Suffix after the masu-stem, as in 言い切る, indicating that the action is done firmly, clearly, or without hesitation.
See also: 言い切る
彼女はそれは無理だと言い切った。
She stated firmly that it was impossible.