How to say "nick" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 欠くかくgodan verb, transitive verbA verb for breaking or chipping a hard object: use it when 'nick' means a small piece has broken away, as when you chip or nick the edge of a cup, plate, or blade.
- nounThe English word taken over as-is; for a nick as damage or a notch this is seldom the word you want, since Japanese normally uses native words for those senses.
- 刻みきざみnounCovers 'nick' in the notch sense: a small cut or notch in something. The word is at root about cutting and chopping, so it suits a deliberate cut mark or notch.
- 傷きずnounThe general word for a mark of damage: use it for a nick, scratch, chip, or crack on a surface, as in a nick on a table edge or a phone screen.
For a nick as surface damage use 傷, for chipping use the verb 「欠く」, for a notch or cut mark use 「刻み」, while 「ニック」 is a marginal loanword seldom needed.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
