How to say "flake" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- nounA katakana loanword matching 'flake' one-for-one. It is a less common word, though, so it is seldom what you want for 'flake' in general; think about which sense you mean.
- 薄片はくへんnounA flake in the sense of a thin, flat piece of some material; it also means a thin slice, a thin layer, or a lamina. It is a less common word.
- 剥片はくへんnounA flake or chip broken off a larger piece; the emphasis falls on something chipped or peeled away rather than on 'flake' as such. For general 'flake' it is seldom the word you want.
- nounOne delicate, thin piece — a single leaf, petal, or sheet of paper. Its 'flake' sense is specifically a flake of snow; usually written in kana alone.
- godan verb, transitive verbA verb: to break something into pieces or pick it apart, including to flake a fish. Use it when 'flake' is an action, not a thing; a common word, usually written in kana.
For a thin flat flake use 薄片, for a chip broken off something 剥片, for a single snowflake 「ひとひら」; 「ほぐす」 is the common verb for flaking fish, and the loanword 「フレーク」 is less common.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
