刻む

• Reading: きざむ
• Romaji: kizamu
• Kanji breakdown: 刻 (koku) — engrave, carve, a unit of time, mark
• Pronunciation: /ki.za.mɯ/

Meaning

To carve; to engrave; to mince (food); to mark or beat (time); to imprint deeply in the mind or heart.

A Group 1 (godan) verb with a broad range of uses. Literal uses include carving stone or wood, mincing vegetables finely, and marking the passage of time. The figurative use — imprinting a memory or experience deeply — is particularly powerful in literary and formal contexts. Widely used idiomatic expressions include 心に刻む (to engrave on one's heart) and 歴史に刻む (to carve into history). The kanji 刻 carries the dual meaning of both cutting and measuring time.

Examples

1. その碑には戦没者の名前が一人ひとり丁寧に刻まれていた。 The names of the fallen soldiers were carefully engraved one by one on the monument.
2. 玉ねぎをみじん切りに刻んでから、弱火でじっくりと炒める。 Mince the onion finely, then fry slowly over a low heat.
3. あの日の出来事は、彼女の記憶に深く刻まれて消えることはなかった。 The events of that day were carved so deeply into her memory that they never faded.

Usage Guide

Context: cooking, literature, memorials, memory, craftsmanship

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Old Japanese, with the kanji 刻 carrying the meanings of cutting into a surface, carving a mark, and measuring time. The dual use reflects the ancient link between notching a surface to record the passage of time.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: All classes