Meaning & Usage
✨ Basic Meaning
Indicates a state that has continued uninterrupted since a past action, or emphasizes limitation/exclusivity (“only”).
🎯 Primary Function
To show that an action was the *last* action of its kind and a state has persisted since, or to indicate “only” a certain amount or item.
📋 Grammar Structure
Verb (た形) + きり / っきり
Noun + きり / っきり
これきり / これっきり
それきり / それっきり
🎭 Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
きり can be used in more formal contexts, but っきり is generally avoided.
Informal Situations
Both きり and っきり are used, with っきり adding more emphasis or a slightly casual tone.
Written Language
きり is more common in formal written language. っきり is used in less formal writing.
Spoken Language
Both are used frequently. っきり is very common in everyday speech for emphasis.
💡 Common Applications
Indicating a state has continued since a past action.
Used with the past tense (た形) of a verb to show that an action was the last of its kind, and the state resulting from it has continued.
Example: 彼は朝出かけたきり、まだ帰ってこない。(Kare wa asa dekaketa kiri, mada kaette konai.) – He left this morning and hasn’t come back since.
Indicating “only” a specific amount, item, or person.
Used with nouns or nominal phrases to emphasize that there is only a limited quantity or selection.
Example: 残っているのはこれっきりだ。(Nokotte iru no wa kore kkiri da.) – This is all that’s left.
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Frequency
Moderately frequent in both spoken and written Japanese.
Difficulty
Intermediate (N3) due to the two distinct meanings and subtle nuances between きり and っきり.
Example Sentences
彼は「行ってきます」と言って家を出たきり、二度と戻ってこなかった。
After saying “I’ll be back” and leaving the house, he never returned (and hasn’t since).
母は入院して以来、食欲がないきりだ。
Since my mother was hospitalized, she has had no appetite.
お小遣いは、たったの千円きりしかもらえなかった。
For allowance, I only got a mere 1000 yen.
Notes & Nuances
📌 Important Points
Verb-ta きり/っきり: “Since then, (and the state continues)”
Used with the past tense (た形) of verbs. It indicates that the action was the last of its kind, and the resulting state has continued uninterrupted. Often implies a negative, unexpected, or unchanging situation.
Example: 彼女は図書館に行ったきり、夕食の時間になっても帰ってこない。(Kanojo wa toshokan ni itta kiri, yuushoku no jikan ni natte mo kaette konai.) – She went to the library and hasn’t come back, even though it’s dinner time.
Noun きり/っきり: “Only”
Used with nouns or nominal phrases to emphasize limitation or exclusivity. It highlights that there is only a specific amount, person, or item.
Example: 今日の参加者は私一人きりでした。(Kyou no sankasha wa watashi hitori kiri deshita.) – The only participant today was me.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ Using non-past tense verbs for the “since then” meaning.
✅ Always use the た形 (past tense) of the verb before きり/っきり when indicating a state that continues since an action.
The meaning relies on the completion of the action as the starting point of the continued state. Incorrect: 彼は部屋に入るきり… Correct: 彼は部屋に入ったきり…
❌ Confusing the “only” meaning with the “since then” meaning.
✅ Analyze the context and the word preceding きり/っきり. If it’s a Noun, it likely means “only”. If it’s a Verb-ta, it means “since then”.
The structure (Noun+きり vs. Verb-ta+きり) is key to distinguishing the two main meanings.
🏛️ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: きり is relatively neutral; っきり is less formal and more conversational.
Social Situations: っきり is frequently used in casual conversations to add emphasis or express a feeling of limited quantity or a persistent state.
Regional Variations: Usage is standard Japanese, though the frequency of っきり for emphasis might vary slightly.
🔍 Subtle Differences
〜きり / っきり vs. 〜まま
〜きり/っきり focuses on a state continuing *since* a specific action occurred, often with a focus on what *hasn’t* happened since. 〜まま describes a state continuing *as it is*, often unexpectedly or without change from a previous condition.
When to use: Use 〜きり/っきり for “since X happened, Y state continues.” Use 〜まま for “in the state of Y.”
〜きり / っきり vs. 〜だけ
〜だけ is a general term for “only” or “just”. Noun+きり/っきり also mean “only” but can carry a stronger nuance of limitation, or imply that the amount is small/insufficient. Verb-ta+きり/っきり has the unique “since then” meaning.
When to use: Use 〜だけ for a neutral “only”. Use Noun+きり/っきり for an emphatic “only” or “only this much/one”. Use Verb-ta+きり/っきり for “since then”.
〜たきり / っきり vs. 〜て以来
Both indicate a state continuing since a past action. 〜て以来 is generally more formal and broader, often used for longer periods or significant events. 〜たきり/っきり often implies an unexpected or negative lack of change since the action.
When to use: Use 〜て以来 in formal contexts or for significant starting points. Use 〜たきり/っきり in more casual contexts, especially when emphasizing the *lack* of subsequent action or change since the initial event.
📝 Conjugation Notes
Verbs must be in the た形 (past tense) when followed by きり/っきり. Nouns are followed directly by きり/っきり.
🔊 Pronunciation Tips
The double consonant っ in っきり indicates a short pause (gemination) before the “ki” sound, adding emphasis.
🧠 Memory Tips
Think of Verb-ta きり as an action that “cut off” (きり) any subsequent actions, leaving a state unchanged since then. Think of Noun きり as “cutting off” everything else, leaving “only” that noun.
Practice Exercises
彼はコーヒーを一杯( )、それ以上は飲まなかった。 (He only had one cup of coffee and didn’t drink any more than that.)
A)飲むきり
B)飲んだきり
C)飲んでいるきり
D)飲むっきり
子供たちは遊びに行った( )、まだ帰ってこない。(The children went out to play and haven’t come back since.)
A)きり
B)ながら
C)ところで
D)ものの
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