きっぱり

き

っ

ぱ

り

Common wordJLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

きっぱりする · noun or participle which takes 'suru'

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	きっぱりする	きっぱりしない
Polite	きっぱりします	きっぱりしません
Past polite	きっぱりしました	きっぱりしませんでした
Past	きっぱりした	きっぱりしなかった
Te-form	きっぱりして	きっぱりしないで
Desire	きっぱりしたい	きっぱりしたくない
Potential	きっぱりできる	きっぱりできない
Passive	きっぱりされる	きっぱりされない
Causative	きっぱりさせる	きっぱりさせない
Causative passive	きっぱりさせられる	きっぱりさせられない
Volitional	きっぱりしよう
Polite volitional	きっぱりしましょう
Imperative	きっぱりしろ	きっぱりするな
Conditional	きっぱりすれば	きっぱりしなければ
Tara conditional	きっぱりしたら	きっぱりしなかったら

Meanings

adverb, adverb taking the 'to' particle, noun or participle which takes 'suru'

clearly; plainly; decisively; flatly

onomatopoeic or mimetic word

Mimetic adverb describing a firm, unambiguous manner of speaking, refusing, or deciding. Often used with 言う, 断る, or 決める. Can take と or する.

彼かれはその申もうし出でをきっぱり断ことわった。
He flatly refused the offer.
きっぱり言いうと、それは間ま違ちがいだ。
To put it plainly, that's a mistake.
彼かの女じょは自じ分ぶんの意い見けんをきっぱり述のべた。
She stated her opinion clearly and decisively.

See all 35 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉をきっぱり(と)断ことわるto flatly refuse (something)
彼かれはその誘さそいをきっぱりと断ことわった。
He flatly turned down the invitation.
きっぱり(と)言いうto say something clearly and decisively
彼かの女じょは「いやです」ときっぱり言いった。
She said, "No," clearly and firmly.
きっぱり(と)あきらめるto give up on something decisively, without lingering doubt
彼かれはプロ野や球きゅう選せん手しゅになる夢ゆめをきっぱりとあきらめた。
He decisively gave up his dream of becoming a professional baseball player.
きっぱりした〈事こと〉a firm, unambiguous (attitude, answer, etc.)
彼かの女じょはきっぱりした態たい度どで交こう渉しょうに臨のぞんだ。
She approached the negotiation with a firm, decisive attitude.

Related words· 6

はっきりN4
はっきり means clear or distinct in a general sense (visible, audible, understandable), while きっぱり specifically stresses firmness and resolve in speech or decisions.
すっぱり
すっぱり emphasizes a clean, complete break (like cutting something off or quitting), whereas きっぱり focuses on the clarity and firmness of what is said or decided.
断だん固こN1
断固 is a more formal, written word for acting resolutely despite opposition, while きっぱり is the everyday word for speaking or deciding firmly.
思おもい切きってN2
きっぱり describes making a clean, unambiguous decision (often a refusal), while 思い切って describes taking a bold step after hesitation.

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ずばりN2
きっぱり is used especially for firmly refusing or denying something, whereas ずばり is broader and describes any blunt, direct way of speaking or acting.
断だん然ぜんN2
きっぱり is a more colloquial, mimetic word for a clear-cut refusal or statement, whereas 断然 sounds slightly more formal in the same sense.

Don't confuse with

きっちりN1
きっちり sounds similar to きっぱり but means precisely or exactly (fitting tightly, without gaps), not decisively.

Written forms

きっぱりUsage89%
Standard hiragana spelling; the most common written form.
キッパリUsage11%
Katakana spelling used for emphasis or stylistic effect.

Etymology

Mimetic word; the exact origin is uncertain, but it is likely derived from the sound-symbolic element きっ (sharp, decisive) combined with ぱり (emphatic ending).