切(き)れ

きれ
noun / suffix
piece, slice; cloth
1. piece, slice, cut
A portion cut from something larger.
ケーキを一切(ひときれ)食(た)べた。
I ate a slice of cake.
刺身(さしみ)を一切(ひときれ)ください。
One piece of sashimi, please.
チーズの小(ちい)さな切(き)れを何枚(なんまい)か買(か)った。
I bought several small pieces of cheese.
2. cloth, fabric
A piece of fabric or material.
布(ぬの)切(き)れで拭(ふ)く。
To wipe with a piece of cloth.
古(ふる)い着物(きもの)の切(き)れを集(あつ)めている。
I collect scraps of old kimono fabric.
この切(き)れは何(なに)の布(ぬの)ですか。
What kind of cloth is this piece?
3. (suffix) -ful, worth of
Used as a counter for slices or pieces.
肉(にく)三切(さんきれ)
Three slices of meat.
パンを二切(ふたきれ)ください。
Two slices of bread, please.
魚(さかな)を四切(よんきれ)に切(き)って、焼(や)いた。
I cut the fish into four pieces and grilled them.

切(き)れ is derived from the verb 切(き)る (to cut). It has two main uses: as a noun meaning "piece" or "cloth," and as a suffix for counting slices.

AS NOUN (piece/slice):

  • 一切(ひときれ): one slice/piece
  • 布(ぬの)切(き)れ: piece of cloth
  • 端(は)切(ぎ)れ: scrap, remnant

AS NOUN (cloth/fabric):
In this meaning, 切(き)れ refers to a piece of fabric or textile. Often used for small pieces or remnants: 着物(きもの)の切(き)れ (a piece of kimono fabric).

AS COUNTER:

Counts slices or cut portions, using native Japanese numbers:

  • 一切(ひときれ)、二切(ふたきれ)、三切(さんきれ)、四切(よんきれ)

COMMON ITEMS COUNTED:

RELATED:
切れ味(きれあじ) (sharpness of a blade) and 切(き)れる (to be sharp; to run out) are separate words from the same root.

Related Words

Related: 切(き)る (to cut (root verb))
Related: 切(き)れる (to break, to run out)
general
Added 2026.1.11 15:58 · Revised 2026.5.22 3:20
02500/02667_kire