piece of wood; chip of wood; block of wood
Refers to a small piece or fragment of wood, often cut or broken off from a larger piece. Can be used for scraps, offcuts, or small blocks.
A piece of wood was lying on the floor.
彼は木切れを集めて焚き火をした。
He gathered wood chips and made a bonfire.
Compound of 木 (ki, 'tree, wood') and 切れ (kire, 'piece, slice'), from the verb 切る (kiru, 'to cut'). The reading きぎれ is a result of rendaku (sequential voicing).