きりがないThere is no end to it
Says that continuing an activity, counting items, or pursuing a topic would have no practical endpoint. It often explains why the speaker decides to stop or set a limit.
The key idea
きりがない does not merely say that something takes a long time. It presents the activity or series as lacking a useful stopping point: more details, examples, objections, or worries could always be added.
Open-ended actions
Conditional forms are common because the speaker imagines what would happen if the activity continued.
このまま細部まで話し合っていたら、きりがないので、今日は要点だけ決めよう。
If we keep discussing every detail like this, we'll never finish, so let's decide only the main points today.
Analyze候補を一人ずつ検討すればきりがないから、まず三人に絞った。
Considering every candidate one by one would be endless, so we first narrowed the list to three.
Analyze失敗の可能性を考えてもきりがない。できる準備から始めよう。
There is no end to thinking about everything that could go wrong. Let's start with the preparations we can make.
AnalyzeEndless lists and concerns
A noun phrase can be made the topic when the items or concerns in that category seem inexhaustible. The meaning is not that one particular item lasts forever, but that the list has no workable limit.
この計画についての心配事はきりがないが、今すぐ対応すべきものは少ない。
There is no end to the concerns about this plan, but few require immediate action.
AnalyzeEndlessness versus lack of alternatives
きりがない says that an activity or series could continue without a practical endpoint. しかない instead says that no alternative action is available. One describes boundlessness; the other describes having only one choice.
More examples
過去の判断を一つ一つ批判しても、きりがない。今後の改善に集中しよう。
There is no end to criticizing every past decision. Let's focus on future improvements.
Analyzeインターネットで関連資料を探し始めるときりがないので、二時間で切り上げた。
Once I start searching online for related material, there is no end to it, so I stopped after two hours.
Analyze数字の誤差をすべて追いかけていたらきりがありません。今回は結果に影響するものだけ確認します。
There would be no end to tracking down every numerical discrepancy. This time, we will check only those that affect the result.
Analyze彼の発言の矛盾は、挙げればきりがない。
There is no end to the contradictions one could point out in his statements.
Analyze将来の不安はきりがないけれど、今日できることは限られている。
There is no end to worries about the future, but what we can do today is limited.
Analyze例外ばかり探しているときりがないから、まず基本原則を確認しよう。
Searching only for exceptions could go on forever, so let's first confirm the basic principle.
Analyze