Describes a strong, heartfelt desire or request. Often used in the adverbial form 切に or the attributive 切なる. The glosses 'kind' and 'acute' are less common and context-dependent.
His earnest wish finally came true.
OFF (on a switch)
Abbreviation of 切る (to turn off). Used as an interjection or label on switches, often in the form きり as well. Not used in formal writing.
See also: 切る
Please turn the switch OFF.
I earnestly wish for everyone's good health.
I sincerely apologize.
This button says 'OFF'.
This is my earnest wish.
入 marks a switch as ON, the direct opposite of 切's OFF label, both used as short labels rather than full sentences.
切る is the ordinary verb meaning 'to cut' or, colloquially, 'to turn off', while 切 is only used as a switch label or in formal set phrases like 切に願う, sharing the same kanji but a different reading and grammatical role.
important; significant; crucial · precious; dear; cherished · careful; with care
appropriate; suitable; proper
kind; considerate; friendly
cutting; severing; sectioning · amputation · disconnection; cutoff; severance of a connection
painful; heartrending; trying · oppressive; suffocating; miserable
Standard kanji form for the na-adjective/noun sense; also used in the interjection sense.
Kana spelling is acceptable, especially in casual writing or when avoiding the kanji.
The kanji 切 originally means 'cut'. The 'eager' sense likely developed from the idea of cutting deeply into one's heart, while the 'OFF' sense is an abbreviation of 切る (to cut off).
eagerly; earnestly; ardently
urgency; imminence; pressure
earnest desire; eager hope; longing
cutting; machining
keen; acute; heartfelt
kind and thorough; considerate and detailed
segment; slice; section; fragment · intercept
seppuku; harakiri; ritual suicide by disembowelment · seppuku as a death penalty; judicial seppuku
passionate; fervent; earnest · moving; touching; heartfelt
cut wound; incised wound; knife wound
ardent love; deep affection
deep love; ardent affection
switch-back
incisor; front tooth · grinding one's teeth; bruxism; gnashing of teeth
notch; indentation; incisure
working hard; applying oneself; cultivating one's character · polishing stones
thin washer on a sword guard · up to the hilt; at wits' end