noun
spilling; spill
Refers to the act of spilling or the spilled material itself. Often used in compound nouns like こぼれ話 (a story that slips out) or こぼれ種 (seeds that have fallen).
コーヒーのこぼれを拭いてください。
Please wipe up the coffee spill.
こぼれ話を聞かせて。
Tell me the story that slipped out.
noun
Refers to remnants or scraps, often from a meal or a larger portion. Can carry a humble nuance when referring to receiving something that is left over from others, as in おこぼれ (honorific prefix form).
See also: 御零れ
おこぼれをいただく。
I receive the leftovers (humble).
パーティーのこぼれをもらった。
I got the leftovers from the party.
Derived from the verb こぼれる (to spill, overflow). The noun form こぼれ refers to the result or act of spilling. The kanji 零 (spill, zero) and 溢 (overflow) are rarely used for this word.