noun
sailing windward; beating to windward
Nautical term for sailing against the wind by tacking.
帆船は間切りを繰り返して風上へ進んだ。
The sailing ship repeatedly beat to windward to make progress upwind.
noun
magiri; administrative division in the Ryukyu Kingdom
Historical term for a land division in the Ryukyu Kingdom, roughly equivalent to a modern prefecture but the size of a city or town. Cross-referenced with 村.
See also: 村
琉球王国では、間切りは村の上位の行政区画だった。
In the Ryukyu Kingdom, magiri were administrative divisions above villages.
The historical derivation is uncertain. The kanji 間 (interval, space) and 切 (cut, divide) suggest a division or section, fitting both the nautical and administrative senses.