Japanese word

かけら

Pronunciation

Romajikakera

Meaning

  • nounpiece

Example

パンのかけらがテーブルに残っています。pa n no ka ke ra ga tē bu ru ni noko tte i ma su

A piece of bread remains on the table.

Illustration for かけら (piece)

More examples

本の間から、古い写真のかけらが見つかりました。hon no aida ka ra furu i sha shin no ka ke ra ga mi tsu ka ri ma shi ta

A fragment of an old photograph was found between the pages of the book.

Core concept

Describes a part separated from a whole, whether it remains intact, breaks off, or represents a small amount of something abstract.

Common phrases

  • 紙のかけらkami no ka ke ra

    piece of paper

  • 木のかけらki no ka ke ra

    piece of wood

  • 記憶のかけらki oku no ka ke ra

    fragment of a memory

Similar words

破片hahen: A piece broken off from a hard material or object.
断片danpen: A partial piece of a larger whole, especially a memory, text, or record.
一片ichihen: A small piece or quantity treated as one part of something larger.

Definition in Japanese

全体から分かれた物の一部分や、全体の中のごく小さな量。zen tai ka ra wa ka re ta mono no ichi bu bun ya zen tai no naka no go ku chii sa na ryō

Word origin

The native Japanese noun かけら (kakera) is related in form to 欠ける (kakeru, "to chip or break off"), but its exact historical derivation is uncertain.

Usage tips

  • The set phrase かけらもない (kakera mo nai) means "not even a trace of" something, as in a statement that someone has 反省のかけらもない (hansei no kakera mo nai).

Other meanings

  • fragmentnoun
  • shardnoun
  • chipnoun
  • splinternoun

Word lists with this word