Kanji 切

音読おんよみ: セツ・サイ

訓読くんよみ:・きれる

画数かくすう: 4

部首ぶしゅ: 刀(かたな)

Meaning

Cut / Slice / Sharp

  • Basic forms
  • 切る — to cut / to sever / base form
  • 切ります — (I) cut / masu form
  • 切った — cut (past) / ta form
  • 切って — cut (and …); please cut / te-form
  • 切らない — do not cut / negative form
  • 切れば — if (someone) cuts / conditional
  • 切れ・切りなさい — cut! / imperative
  • Other common forms
  • 切りたい — want to cut / 〜たい form
  • 切れる — can cut; be sharp; be severed / potential / intransitive sense
  • 切れた — was severed / broke / intransitive past
  • 切れない — cannot cut; won’t cut through / negative potential
  • More
  • 切ろう — let’s cut / 〜よう form
  • 切らなかった — didn’t cut / past negative
  • 切っている — is cutting; is in the process of cutting / progressive

切る(きる) is a godan verb ending in . Stem alternates as る → り → っ, forming 切る・切ります・切って・切った. Note: 切れる is also widely used as an intransitive form meaning “to snap / to break / to be sharp.”

  • 大切たいせつ — important, precious
  • 親切しんせつ — kind, friendly
  • 締切しめきり — deadline
  • 切手きって — postage stamp
  • 一切いっさい — all, everything, entirely

This kanji combines the sword radical 刀 with the phonetic 七. Originally, it meant “to cut with a blade” and still retains that meaning. Over time, it gained broader senses like “stop,” “end,” or “crucial,” as seen in words like 大切 (important) or 締切 (deadline).

かみってください。
Please cut the paper.

大切たいせつひとまもりたい。
I want to protect someone important to me.

断
Creates
切断せつだん — cutting off, severance
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