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はさみ (hasami) Japanese meaning: scissors | Kotomora

はさみ

は

さ

み

○

Common word›JLPTN4›Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

scissors; shears; clippers

usually written using kana alone

The common tool for cutting with two blades. Also appears in compounds for specialized shears, such as 植木ばさみ or 裁ちばさみ.

See also: はさみ

はさみで紙

かみ

を

まっすぐ

切き

っ

た

。

I cut the paper straight with scissors.

植うえ木きばさみで伸のびた枝えだを切きる。

I cut the overgrown branches with pruning shears.

2

usually written using kana alone

Uncommon tool-name use for a device that punches holes; in modern everyday Japanese, 穴あけパンチ is usually clearer.

古ふるい用よう語ごでは、はさみが穴あなあけパンチを指さすこともある。
In older terminology, はさみ can also refer to a hole punch.

Usage patterns

〈物もの〉を鋏はさみで切きるto cut something with scissors
紙かみを鋏はさみで切きってください。
Please cut the paper with scissors.
鋏はさみを入いれるto make a cut (e.g. into hair or fabric) with scissors
美び容よう師しは思おもい切きって鋏はさみを入いれた。
The hairdresser boldly made a cut with the scissors.
鋏はさみを使つかうto use scissors
子こどもはまだ鋏はさみを上手じょうずに使つかえない。
The child still can't use scissors well.

Expressions

馬ば鹿かと鋏はさみは使つかいようeverything can be useful if handled properly; use the right tools for the right job

Kanji

鋏scissors
剪clip, snip, cut
刀sword, saber, knife

Don't confuse with

カッター sense 1
鋏 has two crossing blades for cutting with a scissoring motion, while カッター is a single-blade utility knife used with a slicing motion.
穴あなあけパンチ sense 2
鋏 can rarely mean a hole punch, but 穴あけパンチ is the clear, standard modern word for that tool.
挟はさむN2
鋏 (はさみ) is the noun for scissors, while 挟む (はさむ) is the verb meaning to sandwich or grip something between two things; learners can confuse them because of the shared root and sound.

Counted with

丁ちょう
Traditionally, scissors are counted with 丁, though many speakers also use 本 in everyday speech for individual scissors.

Word family· 14

和わ鋏ばさみ
traditional Japanese scissors; U-shaped scissors
木き鋏ばさみ
pruning shears
紙かみ鋏ばさみ
paper scissors
花はな鋏ばさみ
flower scissors; florist's scissors

Written forms

はさみUsage33%
Everyday spelling; usually written in kana.
ハサミUsage48%
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling; common for product labels, emphasis, or learner-facing writing, mainly for the scissors sense.
鋏はさみUsage19%
Kanji spelling for the tool; less common than kana in ordinary writing.
剪刀はさみ
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji spelling marked as such; mainly useful for recognition rather than everyday writing.

Etymology

Native Japanese word, plausibly related to はさむ, 'to hold or put between,' matching the action of two blades closing around something. The kanji 鋏 conventionally represents scissors or tongs; 剪刀 is listed as a rare spelling.

金かな鋏ばさみ

metal shears; tongs

Show 5 more

ハサミムシ
earwig
すきばさみ
thinning scissors; thinning shears
剪せん定てい鋏ばさみ
pruning shears; garden shears
握にぎり鋏ばさみ
U-shaped scissors; shears
改かい札さつ鋏はさみ
ticket punch

See all 14 in Explore →