Translation guide
The English word "chunk" refers to a thick, solid piece or a large amount of something. This guide covers how to express these ideas naturally in Japanese, from physical pieces to abstract quantities.
Describing a large, irregular piece broken or cut from a larger whole.
The most common and versatile word for a lump, mass, or chunk of something solid. Can be used for food, metal, ice, etc.
肉の塊を買った。
I bought a chunk of meat.
氷の塊が道に落ちていた。
A chunk of ice was lying on the road.
Often interchangeable with 塊, but can emphasize the hardness or solidification. Commonly used for clumps or clusters.
砂糖の固まりができた。
A chunk of sugar formed.
A more literary or formal term for a fragment or piece, often smaller than 塊.
パンの一片をちぎった。
I tore off a chunk of bread.
Referring to a significant, often undefined quantity of something non-physical.
Means 'a large part' or 'the bulk' of something. Natural for time, money, or work.
仕事の大部分は終わった。
A chunk of the work is done.
給料の大部分を家賃に使っている。
I spend a chunk of my salary on rent.
Literally 'a considerable amount', used for both physical and abstract quantities.
かなりの量のお金を使った。
I spent a chunk of money.
An adjective meaning 'substantial' or 'lump-sum', often used with お金 (money) or 時間 (time).
まとまったお金が必要だ。
I need a chunk of money.
Referring to a segment or block of written content or digital information.
The loanword 'chunk' is commonly used in technical contexts, especially in programming and linguistics.
データをチャンクに分割する。
Split the data into chunks.
Means 'block', often used for a chunk of text or code.
テキストのブロックをコピーした。
I copied a chunk of text.
Can be used metaphorically for a chunk of text, but less common than loanwords.
塊 (かたまり) is the general term for a lump or chunk. 固まり (かたまり) emphasizes the state of being hardened or clumped together. In many cases they are interchangeable, but 固まり is preferred for things like clumps of sugar or solidified blood.
The loanword チャンク is mainly used in technical fields like computing. For physical chunks of food or material, use 塊 (かたまり) instead.
文章のかたまりを読むのは大変だ。
Reading a chunk of text is tough.