切手

• Reading: きって
• Romaji: kitte
• Kanji breakdown: 切 (ki/setsu) — cut; 手 (te/shu) — hand
• Pronunciation: /kit.te/

Meaning

Postage stamp. A small piece of paper affixed to mail to indicate payment of postage.

Stamps can be purchased at post offices, convenience stores, and some vending machines in Japan. Japan Post issues beautiful commemorative stamps featuring seasonal designs, anime characters, and regional specialties. Stamp collecting (切手収集) remains a popular hobby.

Examples

1. 切手を貼ってから出してください。 Please put a stamp on it before mailing it.
2. 郵便局で切手を買いました。 I bought stamps at the post office.
3. 八十円の切手はありますか。 Do you have an eighty-yen stamp?

Usage Guide

Context: post office, mail, daily life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 切 (ki/kiri, cut) + 手 (te, hand/means). Originally meant a receipt or voucher that could be 'cut' from a sheet, which evolved into the postal stamp meaning.

Cultural Context

Era: Meiji era

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal