きり

き

り

○

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

noun

end; finish; stopping point

usually written using kana alone

Used for a natural point at which something ends or can be stopped, especially in expressions such as きりがいい and きりをつける.

仕し事ごとのきりがいいところで休きゅう憩けいしよう。
Let's take a break when we reach a good stopping point in the work.

この話はなしにそろそろきりをつけよう。

Let's bring this discussion to an end soon.

noun

limit; bound; end

usually written using kana alone

Most familiar in negative expressions such as きりがない, meaning that there is no end or no limit to something.

Written forms

きりUsage60%
Practical kana spelling for the common noun and particle uses; several senses are marked as usually written in kana.
切きりUsage40%
High-priority source kanji form, especially natural for meanings connected with cutting, ending, stopping points, traditional performance terms, and some counters.
切きりUsage<1%
irregular okurigana
Irregular okurigana spelling; use 切り or きり in ordinary writing.
限きり
Attested spelling for the finance term; do not confuse with the very common reading かぎり.
限きり
irregular okurigana
Irregular okurigana spelling for the specialized finance use; included mainly for lookup.

Kanji

切cut, cutoff, be sharp
限limit, restrict, to best of ability

Similar words

切きれ
A more common everyday noun/counter for a piece or slice, especially in forms like 一切れ; きり as a counter is more limited.
限かぎり
Common reading meaning 'limit,' 'as far as,' or 'as long as'; distinct from this word's きり and much more productive in modern Japanese.
だけ
The general particle for 'only'; きり often sounds more limiting or exclusive, as in 二人きり or 一度きり.
切きり札ふだ
The normal modern word for a trump card or decisive hidden option; standalone 切り in that sense is specialized or old-fashioned.

Etymology

Many uses are associated with native Japanese 切る, 'to cut,' giving ideas such as a cut, end, or stopping point. Limit-related spellings such as 限り are conventionally associated with limiting or bounding. The exact historical development of the particle uses is uncertain.