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Formation: V-ます stem + 切る／切れる; V-ます stem + 切れない／切れず; V-ます stem + 切った + N

切る after a verb stem means doing something completely, to the very last bit, often with effort: 読み切る (read to the end), 使い切る (use up), 走り切る (run the whole way). With verbs of state or feeling, it means 'utterly': 疲れ切る (be worn out), 困り切る (be at a complete loss), 澄み切った空 (a perfectly clear sky). 言い切る means to state something flatly. The potential form 切れる and its negative 切れない mean 'can / cannot do it all', as in 食べ切れない (too much to eat) and 数え切れない (countless). 切れない is also used for feelings one cannot let go of: 諦め切れない (cannot fully give up), 待ち切れない (can't wait). It sounds stronger than 〜終わる, which only marks that an action has finished. It is unrelated to 〜きり (only; since), despite the similar look.

Variants: 切れる、切れない、切れず、切った + N

Examples

• 一晩でこの長編小説を読み切った。
  I read this whole long novel in a single night.
• 彼は疲れ切った顔で帰ってきた。
  He came home looking utterly exhausted.
• 夜空には数え切れないほどの星が輝いていた。
  Countless stars were shining in the night sky.

In real texts 0 occurrence(s)

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