Japanese word

遮る

Pronunciation

Romajisaegiru

Meaning

  • verbinterrupt

Example

司会者は相手の話を遮ります。shi kai sha wa ai te no hanashi o saegi ri ma su

The host interrupts the other speaker.

Illustration for 遮る (interrupt)

More examples

重要な説明を遮ると、誤解が生じることがあります。jū yō na setsu mei o saegi ru to go kai ga shō ji ru ko to ga a ri ma su

If you interrupt an important explanation, misunderstandings may arise.

Core concept

At its core, it stops a person, thing, or flow from continuing by getting in its way.

Common phrases

  • 話を遮るhanashi o saegi ru

    interrupt someone's speech

Similar words

口を挟むkuchiohasamu: To add a remark to a conversation while others are speaking.
割り込むwarikomu: To enter a conversation or activity before it has finished, taking a turn without waiting.
中断するchūdansuru: To stop an action, process, or discussion before it is finished.
妨げるsamatageru: To prevent a person, action, or process from continuing smoothly.

Definition in Japanese

話や物事の進行を途中で止める。また、光や視線、通行などを妨げる。hanashi ya mono goto no shin kō o to chū de to me ru ma ta hikari ya shi sen tsū kō na do o samata ge ru

Word origin

The verb 遮る (saegiru) comes from the older form さへぎる (sahegiru); dictionaries connect it with さへ (sahe, "obstacle") and きる (kiru, "cut"), but the exact formation is uncertain.

Usage tips

  • The passive form 話を遮られる (hanashi o saegirareru) lets a speaker describe being interrupted without naming the interrupter, which makes it useful when reporting a conversational slight indirectly.

Other meanings

  • blockverb
  • interceptverb
  • cut offverb

Word lists with this word