Japanese word

欠ける

Pronunciation

Romajikakeru

Meaning

  • verbbe chipped

Example

この皿は欠けています。ko no sara wa ka ke te i ma su

This plate is chipped.

Illustration for 欠ける (be chipped)

More examples

花瓶を動かしたら、口の部分が欠けました。ka bin o ugo ka shi ta ra kuchi no bu bun ga ka ke ma shi ta

The rim of the vase chipped when I moved it.

Core concept

Focuses on the loss of a small section from an otherwise existing whole, especially at an edge.

Common phrases

  • 歯が欠けるha ga ka ke ru

    a tooth gets chipped

  • 爪が欠けるtsume ga ka ke ru

    a fingernail gets chipped

  • 皿が欠けるsara ga ka ke ru

    a plate gets chipped

Similar words

欠け落ちるkakeochiru: To lose a small piece when it breaks away from an object.
削れるkezureru: To lose part of a surface through scraping or gradual wear.

Definition in Japanese

器や歯などの一部が取れて、元の形の一部を失う。utsuwa ya ha na do no ichi bu ga to re te moto no katachi no ichi bu o ushina u

Word origin

欠ける (kakeru, "to be chipped or have a piece missing") is a native Japanese verb related to 欠く (kaku, "to chip or make incomplete"), with the intransitive sense showing the resulting loss.

Usage tips

  • When describing a plate, English commonly uses chipped as an adjective for the resulting condition, while a chip is the missing or damaged piece itself.

Other meanings

  • have a piece missingverb

Related words

  • 欠けkakechipnoun

Word lists with this word