ペンチ

ペ

ン

チ

Common wordJLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

pliers; cutting pliers; combination pliers

General term for pliers, especially those used for gripping, bending, or cutting wire. Often refers to lineman's pliers or combination pliers in everyday use.

wasei-eigo (Japanese-coined English), from pinchers

ペンチで針はり金がねを切きってください。

Please cut the wire with the pliers.

工こう具ぐ箱ばこからペンチを取とり出だした。

I took the pliers out of the toolbox.

Usage patterns

ペンチで〈物もの〉を切きるto cut something with pliers
ペンチで針はり金がねを切きった。
I cut the wire with pliers.
ペンチで〈物もの〉をつかむto grip something with pliers
ペンチで釘くぎをつかんで引ひき抜ぬいた。
I gripped the nail with pliers and pulled it out.

Related words

ニッパー
ペンチ is the general term for gripping-and-cutting pliers, while ニッパー refers specifically to diagonal cutting nippers used mainly for snipping wire.
プライヤー
プライヤー is a less common, more technical loanword for pliers, whereas ペンチ is the everyday term Japanese speakers use for the same tool.

Don't confuse with

ラジオペンチ
ペンチ is the general-purpose combination pliers, while ラジオペンチ (radio pliers) has long, thin jaws for precision work like bending small wires.

Counted with

丁ちょう
counter for long, narrow objects

Word family

ラジオペンチ
needle-nose pliers; long-nose pliers; radio pliers

Etymology

Wasei-eigo derived from English 'pinchers', referring to pliers. The exact derivation is uncertain, but it is widely used in Japanese for general-purpose pliers.