noun
Refers to a physical cut, notch, or incision made in a surface or material.
板に切り目を入れて折りやすくする。
Make a cut in the board to make it easier to break.
noun
Used for the end or conclusion of something, often in temporal or sequential contexts. Can also refer to a break or pause between events.
話にちょうどいい切り目がついた。
The conversation came to a good stopping point.
Compound of 切り (kiri, 'cutting', continuative form of 切る) and 目 (me, 'mark, point'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the spelling is conventionally associated with the meanings of cut and end.