きり | Grammar

Structure

[noun] + きり [verb た-form] + きり

Description

きり has two uses. After a noun or a number it means "only", "just": nothing beyond the amount named. After a verb's た-form it means the thing happened and nothing followed – "and since then, no more".

。

I want to talk with just the two of us.

。

It's a once-only chance.

、。

He went out and hasn't come back since.

In casual speech it is often っきり: ふたりっきり二人っきり, あれっきり.

"Only" after a noun

The noun is usually a number of people or times, or これ / それ / あれ. きり stresses that this is all there is or ever will be, and it sits in set phrases more than だけ does: ふたりきり二人きり is "alone together", いちど一度きり is "once and never again", これきり is "this is the last".

。

Please let this be the last time.

。

I want to be alone with just the two of us.

"And never since" after a verb

The verb is in the た-form. What comes after is usually negative: the person did not come back, nothing was heard again. The sentence can also stop at きりだ.

、。

I met that person once and haven't been in contact since.

きごう「きごう」、。

She said "goodbye" and never looked back.

。

I haven't seen them since then.

× 出かけるきり → 出かけたきり

, "bedridden", is a fixed word built on this use: lying down and never getting up again.

Examples

。

Let's talk with just the two of us.

、。

It's a one-time life, so I want to live without regrets.

、。

He went into the room and hasn't come out since.

、。

I saw that movie once and haven't watched it again since.

。

I have only a thousand yen in my wallet.

、。

My grandfather has been bedridden and can't get up.

。

The three children were playing on their own.

。

I haven't seen that friend since the graduation ceremony.

。

This is going to be my last cigarette.

きごう「きごう」、。

She said "goodbye" and never looked back.

、。

I only went to that shop once and haven't been back since.

。

I'd love to go on a date with just the two of us.

References

The Particles やらなりきりimabi.org
きりBunpro