欠片（かけら、kakera）
- fragment

The Japanese word 欠片欠片, pronounced かけら, refers to a fragment, a piece, or a shard of something. It often implies a small portion or remnant of a larger whole, or a broken piece. It can be used both literally and figuratively. It suggests something that is broken, incomplete, or left over.

⚫︎ガラスの欠片 Translation: A piece of glass ⚫︎記憶の欠片 Translation: A fragment of memory ⚫︎希望の欠片 Translation: A glimmer of hope

⚫︎欠片欠片 is used to describe a small part or piece of something, whether it's a physical object, an abstract concept like a memory, or even an emotion. ⚫︎It's common to use 欠片欠片 to emphasize that something is incomplete or broken. ⚫︎It can be used in both formal and informal conversations.

⚫︎The word is primarily written using the kanji 欠片欠片. ⚫︎The reading is かけら in hiragana. ⚫︎There are no variations in the okurigana.

⚫︎一部 (いちぶ) - Part ⚫︎破片 (はへん) - Fragment, broken piece (more commonly used for physical fragments) ⚫︎断片 (だんぺん) - Fragment ⚫︎かけ (piece/fragment - informal) - very similar in meaning

⚫︎There isn't a direct antonym, as 欠片欠片 describes the absence of the whole. You could say "the whole" or "complete" conceptually, but those aren't single-word antonyms. ⚫︎全体 (ぜんたい) - The whole ⚫︎全部 (ぜんぶ) - Everything, the whole

割れた皿の欠片を拾いました。 ・Translation: I picked up a piece of the broken plate. ・Explanation: This sentence uses 欠片欠片 to describe a physical fragment of a broken plate.

彼は夢の欠片を追い求めていた。 ・Translation: He was pursuing the fragments of his dream. ・Explanation: This sentence uses 欠片欠片 figuratively to describe the small parts or remnants of a dream.

⚫︎欠 (かけ) originally meant "to lack" or "to be missing," and 片 (へん/かた) means "a piece" or "a side." ⚫︎Therefore, 欠片欠片 literally means "a missing piece," reflecting the meaning of a fragment or something incomplete.