What is the difference between "きる", "削減", "割り込む", "断ち切る", "手を抜く"?

"きる" means "to cut", "削減" means "cut, reduction, curtailment", "割り込む" means "to cut into (a line), to interrupt, to butt in, to squeeze in", "断ち切る" means "to cut off, to sever, to break (ties/relations), to give up (a bad habit)", "手を抜く" means "To cut corners".

Quintuple VS

Synonym Boundary: "きる", "削減", "割り込む", "断ち切る", "手を抜く"

All represent the core concept "cut", but require precise selection.

Japanese Option A

きる

きる (kiru)

N5 / CEFR

Japanese Option B

削減

さくげん (sakugen)

N3 / CEFR

Japanese Option C

割り込む

わりこむ (warikomu)

N2 / CEFR

Japanese Option D

断ち切る

たちきる (tachikiru)

N2 / CEFR

Japanese Option E

手を抜く

てをぬく (tewonuku)

B2 / CEFR

Quintuple VS Nuance Contrast & Social Differences

When expressing "cut" in Japanese, you must carefully distinguish between "きる", "削減", "割り込む", "断ち切る", "手を抜く" based on context.

きる (きる (kiru) - Level: N5): Maps to "to cut" and is used when Used for cutting various things.
削減 (さくげん (sakugen) - Level: N3): Maps to "cut, reduction, curtailment" and is used when Used when describing a deliberate reduction of something, often expenses, costs, or staff, for efficiency..
割り込む (わりこむ (warikomu) - Level: N2): Maps to "to cut into (a line), to interrupt, to butt in, to squeeze in" and is used when Implies rudeness or inappropriateness by entering a space, conversation, or line without permission or disrupting the order. Can be literal.
断ち切る (たちきる (tachikiru) - Level: N2): Maps to "to cut off, to sever, to break (ties/relations), to give up (a bad habit)" and is used when Implies a strong, decisive act of completely ending or severing something, often an undesirable connection, habit, or feeling..
手を抜く (てをぬく (tewonuku) - Level: B2): Maps to "To cut corners" and is used when Essential structural term in CEFR B2 vocabulary syllabus..

Mixing these up can easily lead to unnatural translations. Refer to the bilingual context cards below to master the boundaries!

Context for "きる"

パンを切ってください。

Please cut the bread.

Context for "削減"

経費の削減が急務です。

Reducing expenses is an urgent task.

Context for "割り込む"

列に割り込むのはやめなさい。後ろの人に迷惑ですよ。

Don't cut into the line. You're bothering the people behind you.

Context for "断ち切る"

彼は悪い習慣を断ち切るために努力した。

He made an effort to break his bad habits.

Context for "手を抜く"

毎日、日本語を練習するために手を抜く。

Every day, I cut corners to practice Japanese.

Synonym Mastery Challenge

Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?

Fill in the blank: "パンを切ってください。" (Meaning: "Please cut the bread.")

🎉 Correct Answer!

Remember: "きる" is correct here because it represents "to cut" in the context: "Please cut the bread.".