How to say "splinter" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 破片はへんnounCovers the fragment sense of 'splinter': a piece broken off or scattered when something shatters, such as glass or pottery. It is the broken-piece reading, not a splinter lodged in the flesh.
- 木片もくへんnounCovers 'splinter' in the wooden sense: a block, chip, or splinter of wood. Reach for it when the broken piece is wood, as from broken boards or furniture.
- nounA small broken-off piece or chip, much like 破片 in sense; it is usually written in kana alone. Suits small fragments left when glass, pottery, or similar materials break.
- 刺とげnounThe word for a splinter lodged in the flesh, such as one stuck in a finger; it also covers a fish bone caught in the throat. Not for loose broken pieces.
For a splinter stuck in the flesh use 刺; for broken pieces, 木片 is specifically wood, while 破片 and 「かけら」 are general fragment words, 「かけら」 usually written in kana.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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