きっと

き

っ

と

Common wordJLPTN5Freq.FrequencyTop 1,000

Meanings

usually written using kana aloneonomatopoeic or mimetic word

Expresses strong conviction or high probability about a future event or state. Often used when the speaker is confident based on intuition or expectation.

明日あしたはきっと晴はれるでしょう。
It will surely be sunny tomorrow.
彼かれならきっと成せい功こうすると思おもう。
I think he will undoubtedly succeed.

adverb

sternly; severely

usually written using kana aloneonomatopoeic or mimetic word

Describes a sharp, intense manner of looking, speaking, or acting. Often written in katakana as キッと for emphasis.

先せん生せいはいたずらをした生せい徒とをきっとにらんだ。
The teacher glared sternly at the student who had misbehaved.

adverb

tightly; stiffly; rigidly

usually written using kana aloneonomatopoeic or mimetic word

Indicates a state of being pulled taut, stiff, or without slack. Often used with verbs like 結ぶ (tie) or 張る (stretch).

ひもをきっと結むすんでください。
Please tie the string tightly.

adverb

suddenly; abruptly

usually written using kana aloneonomatopoeic or mimetic wordarchaic

Archaic adverbial use meaning 'suddenly' or 'instantly'. Not used in modern Japanese outside of classical texts or fixed expressions.

古こ文ぶんでは「きっと」が「突とつ然ぜんに」の意い味みで使つかわれることがある。
In classical Japanese, きっと can be used to mean 'suddenly'.

See all 87 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

きっと〈動どう詞し〉だろうwill surely (probably) ...
明日あしたはきっと晴はれるだろう。
It will surely be sunny tomorrow.
〈人ひと〉をきっと睨にらむto glare sternly at someone
母ははは私わたしをきっと睨にらんだ。
My mother glared sternly at me.
〈物もの〉をきっと結むすぶto tie something tightly
ロープをきっと結むすんだ。
He tied the rope tightly.
きっと〈事こと〉に違ちがいないit must certainly be the case that ...
彼かれはきっと来くるに違ちがいない。
He must surely be coming.

Expressions

きっとなるlook stern; put on a stern face

Kanji

屹towering mountains
度degrees, occurrence, time
急hurry, emergency, sudden

Related words· 11

必かならずN4sense 1
必ず expresses objective certainty or a rule, while きっと conveys the speaker's subjective conviction or hope.
絶ぜっ対たいN4sense 1
絶対 is a stronger, more absolute 'definitely' often used in prohibitions or strong assertions, whereas きっと is a confident but softer prediction.
恐おそらくN3sense 1
おそらく signals a reasoned guess with slightly less certainty than きっと, which reflects the speaker's strong personal conviction.
多た分ぶんN5sense 1
たぶん is a milder, more tentative guess, while きっと expresses firmer confidence that something will happen.

Show 7 more

てっきりN2
きっと expresses confident expectation about a future or general fact, while てっきり describes a past belief that later turns out to be mistaken.
さぞN1
きっと is a general expression of confident conjecture ('surely', 'probably'), while さぞ specifically expresses empathetic certainty about someone else's feelings or situation.
確たしかにN3
きっと expresses the speaker's confident guess or prediction about something uncertain, while 確かに confirms something already known or observed.
是ぜ非ひN5
きっと conveys the speaker's confident expectation that something will happen, whereas 是非 conveys a personal desire or invitation for someone to do something.
違ちがいないN3
きっと is an adverb meaning "surely/probably" that softens a prediction, whereas 違いない (usually に違いない) asserts a firmer, near-certain conclusion.
絶ぜっ対たいにN3
きっと conveys a speaker's confident guess or expectation ('surely'), whereas 絶対に asserts something as an absolute fact or firm resolve with no room for doubt.
さぞかしN1
きっと is a plain, everyday word for 'surely' used for predictions in general, while さぞかし adds an empathetic, imaginative tone about someone's feelings or situation.

Written forms

きっとUsage99%
Standard kana spelling; the word is usually written in kana.
キッとUsage1%
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling, especially common for the stern/severe sense.
屹きっ度とUsage<1%
ateji (phonetic kanji usage)rarely-used kanji form
Ateji kanji form; rarely used.
急度きっと
ateji (phonetic kanji usage)rarely-used kanji form
Ateji kanji form; rarely used.

Etymology

The word is considered mimetic or sound-symbolic in origin, but the exact derivation is uncertain. The kanji forms 屹度 and 急度 are ateji and not etymologically related.