仕切る

• Reading: しきる
• Romaji: shikiru
• Kanji breakdown: 仕 (shi/tsuka) — serve, do; 切 (setsu/ki) — cut, sever
• Pronunciation: /ɕi.ki.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To partition; to divide; to mark off. Also means to take charge of or manage an event or situation.

A Group 1 (godan) transitive verb with two main uses. Physically, it means to divide a space with partitions or boundaries. Socially, it means to take control and manage proceedings, like running a meeting or organising an event. The latter usage is very common in everyday Japanese.

Examples

1. 部屋をカーテンで仕切って使っている。 I use a curtain to divide the room.
2. 彼がイベント全体を仕切った。 He ran the entire event.
3. 会議を仕切るのは部長の役目だ。 It's the manager's job to run the meeting.

Usage Guide

Context: workplace, events, daily life

Tone: assertive

Origin & History

Compound of 仕 (to do, to serve) and 切る (to cut). The original meaning of cutting to divide a space evolved into the figurative sense of managing or taking charge by drawing clear lines of responsibility.

Cultural Context

Era: Edo period

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal