充電切れ
Meaning: Battery dead — the state of a device having completely run out of charge.
A straightforward compound of 充電 (charge/charging) and 切れ (cut off/exhausted), 充電切れ is the go-to expression for when your phone or device dies. While technically standard Japanese rather than slang, it has become so frequent in daily speech — especially in LINE messages and excuses for not replying — that it functions as essential modern tech vocabulary.
Examples
- ごめん、充電切れで連絡できなかった。 抱歉,手机没电了没法联系你。Perdona, se me agotó la batería y no pude contactarte.미안, 충전 다 돼서 연락 못 했어.
- モバイルバッテリー忘れたから充電切れが怖い。 忘带充电宝了,怕手机没电。Se me olvidó la batería portátil y me da miedo quedarme sin carga.보조 배터리 깜빡해서 충전 방전이 무서워.
- ライブ中にスマホ充電切れになって写真撮れなかった。 演唱会中手机没电了,没拍到照片。Se me murió el móvil durante el concierto y no pude hacer fotos.라이브 중에 스마트폰 충전이 다 돼서 사진 못 찍었어.
Pronunciation
/dʑuː.deŋ.ki.ɾe/
Usage Guide
Context: daily conversation, LINE messages, any situation
Tone: apologetic, matter-of-fact
✓ Do Say
- スマホ充電切れだからちょっと充電させて。 (My phone's dead, can I charge it for a bit?)手机没电了,让我充一会儿吧。(My phone's dead, can I charge it for a bit?)Se me ha muerto el móvil, ¿puedo cargarlo un momento?스마트폰 충전 다 됐으니까 잠깐 충전 좀 시켜줘. (폰 배터리 나갔으니까 잠깐 충전 좀 할게.)
- 充電切れになる前にモバイルバッテリーつなごう。 (Let me plug in the portable charger before my battery dies.)趁还没没电,先接上充电宝吧。(Let me plug in the portable charger before my battery dies.)Voy a conectar la batería portátil antes de que se me agote.충전 다 되기 전에 보조 배터리 연결하자. (배터리 나가기 전에 보조 배터리 꽂자.)
✗ Don't Say
- 「充電切れ」を遅刻や未返信の言い訳に多用すると信用されなくなる (Overusing 'juuden kire' as an excuse for late replies loses credibility)频繁用「充電切れ」当迟回复的借口会让人失去信任Abusar de 'se me agotó la batería' como excusa para no contestar acaba por perder credibilidad「充電切れ」를 늦은 답장이나 지각의 변명으로 남발하면 신뢰를 잃는다 (배터리 방전 핑계를 너무 자주 대면 믿어주지 않는다)
Common Mistakes
- Confusing 充電切れ (battery dead) with 充電中 (currently charging)
Origin & History
Standard Japanese compound of 充電 (charging) + 切れ (running out). Has been in use since mobile phones became common in the 2000s, but gained even more prominence with smartphones due to their higher battery consumption.
Cultural Context
Era: 2000s mobile phone era, intensified with smartphones
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. One of the most common everyday tech expressions.
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