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JLPT N3 · Compound verbs & suffixes

切(き)る (kiru)

~切る — do ~ completely, to the end

In short · Means finishing an action to the end or doing it completely. It attaches to a verb stem and covers both achievement after effort and using something up.
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Pattern

  • Vます形(ます抜き)+切る Verb stem + 切る

Meaning

走り切る, やり切る, 使い切る mean doing something all the way without stopping, or using everything up. 疲れ切る and 信じ切る show a state at its limit. The past form ~切った is common.

Related forms

The negative ~切れない means one cannot finish or do it fully. ~終わる just says 'completed,' while ~切る implies getting through effort or a large amount.

Examples

  • マラソンを最後(さいご)まで走(はし)り切(き)った。

    Marason o saigo made hashirikitta.

    I ran the marathon all the way to the end.

  • 貯(た)めていたお金(かね)を全部(ぜんぶ)使(つか)い切(き)ってしまった。

    Tamete ita okane o zenbu tsukaikitte shimatta.

    I ended up spending all the money I had saved.

  • 難(むずか)しい仕事(しごと)を一人(ひとり)でやり切(き)った。

    Muzukashii shigoto o hitori de yarikitta.

    I saw the difficult job through to the end all by myself.

Common mistakes

  • It is not 'cut.' It means doing the action fully.
  • Do not keep ます: 走り切る, not 走りますきる.

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