Translation guide
The concept of perforation covers holes, the act of making holes, and lines of holes for tearing. This guide helps learners choose the right Japanese word based on what is being perforated and why.
Describing a hole or multiple holes that have been made in something, such as paper, skin, or metal.
General word for 'hole'. Use this for most everyday perforations, like a hole in paper or a puncture in a container.
紙に穴が開いている。
There is a hole in the paper.
バケツに穴が開いた。
A hole opened up in the bucket.
Technical/medical term for a perforation or puncture, often used for body parts (e.g., eardrum, stomach) or industrial drilling.
鼓膜穿孔と診断された。
He was diagnosed with a perforated eardrum.
Specifically a hole made by a hole punch, like in binder paper.
この書類にはパンチ穴が二つある。
This document has two punch holes.
Referring to the perforated line on paper, stamps, tickets, etc., that allows clean separation.
The standard term for a perforated line, like on notebook paper, stamps, or tear-off forms. Literally 'sewing-machine eye'.
ミシン目に沿って切り取ってください。
Please tear along the perforation.
このノートはミシン目が入っているので、きれいに破れます。
This notebook has perforations, so you can tear pages out cleanly.
Literally 'cut-off line'. Often printed on forms or coupons to indicate where to cut or tear. Less specific than ミシン目 but commonly understood.
Describing the process of perforating something, such as drilling, punching, or piercing.
The most common way to say 'to make a hole' or 'to perforate'. Works for any method (punching, drilling, piercing).
革に穴を開ける道具
a tool for making holes in leather
書類にパンチで穴を開けた。
I punched holes in the documents.
Formal/technical verb for 'to perforate'. Used in medical, dental, or industrial contexts.
歯科医が歯に穿孔した。
The dentist perforated the tooth.
Casual verb meaning 'to punch' (with a hole punch). Common in office settings.
この紙、パンチしといて。
Punch holes in this paper, will you?
A hole that develops in a body part due to injury or disease, such as a perforated ulcer or eardrum.
Medical term for a perforation. Often used in compounds like 胃穿孔 (stomach perforation) or 腸穿孔 (intestinal perforation).
胃穿孔の緊急手術が必要です。
Emergency surgery for a perforated stomach is necessary.
General phrase meaning 'a hole opens up'. Can be used in non-technical explanations of medical perforations.
穴 (あな) is the everyday word for any hole. 穿孔 (せんこう) is a technical term used mainly in medical, dental, or industrial contexts. For most daily situations, 穴 is sufficient.
壁に穴が開いている。
There's a hole in the wall.
穿孔機で金属板に穴を開ける。
Perforate the metal plate with a drilling machine.
The English loanword パーフォレーション is rarely used in Japanese and may not be understood. Stick to native terms like ミシン目 or 穴.
切手のミシン目があるので、簡単に切り取れます。
The perforation on the stamp makes it easy to tear.
彼は鼓膜穿孔を起こした。
He suffered a perforated eardrum.
切り取り線で切り離してください。
Please detach at the cut-off line.
胃に穴が開いた状態です。
It's a condition where a hole has opened in the stomach.