How to say "clamp" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- nounThe straightforward loanword for a clamp as a tool or device that grips and holds objects firmly, as in woodworking, metalwork, or laboratory work; when you simply mean a clamp, this is the word to reach for.
- nounA clamp in the medical sense: forceps-like instruments used in surgery and nursing to grip tissue or vessels and to pinch off tubing; outside medicine it sounds out of place.
- 締め具しめぐnounA general term for a device that tightens, fastens, or holds things together; clamp is only one of its senses, and it covers fasteners and clasps broadly rather than naming a specific tool.
- nounAn uncommon word for a clamp, usually written in kana; it is seldom the one you want, and クランプ is the natural choice in ordinary contexts.
- nounIn carpentry, a large U-shaped metal staple driven into two pieces of wood to hold them together; its clamp sense is this fastening use, not a hand tool you squeeze.
For the familiar gripping tool use 「クランプ」; 「クレンメ」 is medical, 「締め具」 a general fastening device, 「かすがい」 a carpenter's staple, and 「ハサミツケ」 an uncommon alternative you will rarely need.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
