Hagiri

Hagiri is a term used in bonsai to describe the technique of cutting leaves partially. It is done to improve the appearance of the leaves when they are too large or irregular, and to reduce the loss of moisture from the leaves during grafting. Hagiri is usually applied to deciduous trees, such as maples, elms and hornbeams.  

Hagiri is different from defoliation, which involves removing all the leaves from a branch or a tree.