破片
hahen[ha̠hẽ̞ɴ]
The English word 'splinter' can be translated into Japanese as either 破片 (hahen) or 刺.
Meaning: fragment of material (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 破片 | hahen | [ha̠hẽ̞ɴ] (narrow) |
| 刺 | toge | [to̞ɡe̞] (narrow) [sa̠ɕi] (narrow) |
In Japanese, the term you choose depends on whether you are describing a fragment of material or an object that has punctured the skin. 破片 refers to a fragment or a shard of a material, such as glass. 刺 is used when referring to a sharp, thin splinter, such as a piece of wood or a thorn that has pierced the skin.
Which one should you use?
Use 破片 to describe a general fragment of material. Use 刺 for a sharp, thin splinter or a thorn that has actually pierced the skin.
How do you pronounce it?
hahen
Did you know?
- The character 破 in 破片 is also found in the word for 'bankruptcy' 破産, reflecting a conceptual link between a financial collapse and something shattering.
- While 刺 refers to a splinter in the skin, the same root is used for the verb 刺す, which covers everything from a medical needle prick to a bee sting.
- The character 刺 was borrowed from Middle Chinese, meaning its written form existed in the region long before the modern Japanese spoken language developed its current sound.
Examples in context
- トムはガラスの破片で右手の甲に怪我をした。The back of Tom's right hand was injured by a splinter of glass.This sentence is useful for seeing how to describe an injury caused by a 破片 of glass.Tatoeba #2912420 by tommy_san, translation #3448569 by AlanF_US
- お気をつけください。指に木の棘が刺さるかもしれません。Careful, a splinter might get stuck in your finger.
- 木のテーブルを直してたら、指に木屑が刺さったんだ。I just got a splinter while repairing the wooden table.
- 彼はピンセットで木の棘を取りました。He removed the splinter with a pair of tweezers.
- プラスチックの破片が落ちている。purasuchikku no hahen ga ochite iru.There are fragments of plastic lying on the ground.
Example conversation
Hiroto and Yui are cleaning up a broken wooden toy.
- 大翔 Hirotoあ、小さな破片が残っているよ。a, chiisana hahen ga nokotte iru yo.Oh, there is a small splinter left.
- 結衣 Yui本当だ。大翔、触らないでね。honto da. Hiroto, sawara nai de ne.You're right. Hiroto, don't touch it.
- 大翔 Hirotoわかった。掃除機で吸い取るよ。wakatta. soujiki de suitoru yo.Got it. I'll vacuum it up.
- 結衣 Yuiお願い。危ないからね。onegai. abunai kara ne.Please do. It's dangerous.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “splinter” translations and entries 破片, 刺, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 刺, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
