Translation guide
The English word 'snap' covers many distinct actions and sounds. This guide organizes the most common meanings for learners and gives natural Japanese equivalents for each.
To break something long and thin, or for it to break, making a cracking sound.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to snap/break' for stick-like objects. Used when the thing itself breaks.
枝が折れた。
The branch snapped.
Transitive verb meaning 'to snap/break' something deliberately.
彼は鉛筆を折った。
He snapped the pencil.
Onomatopoeic phrase emphasizing the crisp snapping sound. Casual.
チョコレートがポキッと折れた。
The chocolate snapped with a crack.
To produce a short, sharp noise, like fingers clicking or a twig breaking.
Describes a snapping or clicking sound occurring naturally.
指がパチンと鳴った。
My finger made a snapping sound.
To snap one's fingers deliberately.
彼は指を鳴らして店員を呼んだ。
He snapped his fingers to call the waiter.
To say something quickly and in an irritated tone.
To shout or snap angrily. Stronger than just being curt.
「静かにしろ」と彼は怒鳴った。
"Be quiet!" he snapped.
To say something sharply or harshly, without necessarily shouting.
彼女は「関係ないでしょ」ときつく言った。
She snapped, "That's none of your business."
To move or cause to move with a brisk, sharp action.
To move suddenly and quickly. Often used for opening eyes or standing up.
彼はパッと立ち上がった。
He snapped to his feet.
To close something with a quick, smooth motion, like a book or a bag.
彼女は本をサッと閉じた。
She snapped the book shut.
To take a picture, especially quickly or casually.
Standard way to say 'take a photo'. Not specifically 'snap', but natural for casual picture-taking.
ちょっと写真を撮ってもいい？
Can I snap a quick photo?
Onomatopoeic phrase mimicking the shutter sound. Very casual, like 'snap a pic'.
スマホでパシャッと撮った。
I snapped it with my phone.
A fastener that closes with a clicking sound, or the action of fastening it.
Loanword used for snap fasteners on clothing or bags.
このバッグはスナップで閉まります。
This bag closes with a snap.
Specifically a snap button.
スナップボタンを留めてください。
Please fasten the snap button.
To suddenly become unable to control emotions, especially anger or mental stability.
Slang for losing one's temper suddenly. Very common for 'snap' in emotional sense.
彼はついにキレた。
He finally snapped.
Idiomatic phrase meaning 'the string of one's patience pouch snaps'. More dramatic.
堪忍袋の緒が切れて、怒鳴ってしまった。
I snapped and ended up yelling.
While 'snap a photo' is common in English, Japanese uses 写真を撮る (しゃしんをとる). Using 折る or 鳴らす would be incorrect.
折れる (おれる) is intransitive (the thing breaks), while 折る (おる) is transitive (someone breaks it). Choose based on whether there is a direct actor.