Meaning
snip!, zap!
- used to evoke a sharp, sudden cut, snap, or abrupt action
In a sentence
Il parrucchiere ha preso le forbici e, zac, ha tagliato la ciocca.
The hairdresser took the scissors and, snip, cut the lock of hair.
Stavo per spiegargli tutto quando, zac, è caduta la linea telefonica.
I was about to explain everything to him when, zap, the phone line dropped.
Ha tirato fuori il coltellino e, zac zac, ha aperto il pacco sigillato.
He pulled out the pocketknife and, snip snip, opened the sealed package.
Usage notes
- Informal: common in lively spoken storytelling to mimic rapid cutting or sudden events.
- Often duplicated as 'zac zac' to portray the sound of rapid scissor cuts.