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はさみ Japanese meaning | 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

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 →

Rare kanji spelling marked as such; mainly useful for recognition rather than everyday writing.