JLPT N1Mostly writtenAdmiring

きってのthe foremost in

It names a group or a place and picks out its number one: the team's best hitter, the town's most popular shop. You read it in profiles, news stories and publicity.

山やま田だはチームきっての強きょう打だ者しゃだ。

Yamada is the team's top power hitter.

この町まちきっての人にん気き店てんは、週しゅう末まつになると行ぎょう列れつができる。

The most popular shop in this town has a line outside every weekend.

How to form it

Group or place + きっての + noun

A noun always follows. Now and then it is written 切きっての.

Before it: A group, a place, a field or an age: クラス, チーム, 社しゃ内ない, 業ぎょう界かい, 町まち, 当とう代だい (the present day).
After it: A noun that already says what they are known for: 秀しゅう才さい (a brilliant student), 実じつ力りょく者しゃ, 名めい手しゅ, 人にん気き店てん, 名めい作さく.
Tone: Mostly admiring, with a ring of publicity. It passes on a reputation.
Where you'll meet it: Profiles, sports and entertainment news, reviews, novels. Aloud, when someone is being introduced.

In use

同どう社しゃきっての若わか手て技ぎ術じゅつ者しゃが、新しん型がた電でん池ちの開かい発はつを率ひきいている。

The company's top young engineer is leading the development of a new battery.

彼かの女じょは劇げき団だんきっての実じつ力りょく派は俳はい優ゆうとして知しられている。

She is known as the most accomplished actor in the troupe.

この小しょう説せつは、戦せん後ご文ぶん学がくきっての名めい作さくとして長ながく読よみ継つがれている。

This novel has long been read as the great masterpiece of postwar literature.

It needs a noun after it

In English you can say "he is the best in the class" and stop. きっての can't end a sentence, and it can't go onto an adjective the way 一いち番ばん does in 一いち番ばん速はやい.

Not said: 彼かれの成せい績せきはクラスきってだ。

(His grades are the best in the class.)

Say クラスで一いち番ばんだ, or name what he is: クラスきっての秀しゅう才さい.

Close neighbours

一番N5

Plain "the most", and the one people say. The group takes で or の中なかで, any adjective can follow, and it can end a sentence.

三みっつの案あんの中なかで、この案あんが一いち番ばん現げん実じつ的てきだ。

Of the three proposals, this one is the most realistic.

随ずい一いち is the other written choice. It means the same, and it can end a sentence.

この店みせの品しなぞろえは、地ち域いき随ずい一いちだ。

This shop's range is the best in the area.

Check yourself

1Which sentence is right?

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which one fits?

山やま田だ選せん手しゅは、（　　）きっての俊しゅん足そくだ。

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

Now and then it crowns a rogue: クラスきっての問もん題だい児じ, the biggest troublemaker in the class.

More sentences

彼かれは当とう代だいきってのピアニストだ。

He is the foremost pianist of our time.

新しん作さくは、今年ことしの映えい画が祭さいきっての話わ題だい作さくとなった。

The new film became the most talked-about work of this year's festival.

彼かれは出しゅっ版ぱん社しゃきっての敏びん腕わん編へん集しゅう者しゃで、数かず々かずのベストセラーを手てがけてきた。

He is the publisher's ablest editor and has worked on a string of bestsellers.

その旅りょ館かんは、京きょう都ときっての老舗しにせとして全ぜん国こくに名なを知しられている。

The inn is known across the country as the foremost of Kyoto's old establishments.

この絵えは、美び術じゅつ館かんきっての人にん気き作さく品ひんとして多おおくの来らい館かん者しゃを集あつめている。

This painting draws many visitors as the museum's most popular work.