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かかりきり Japanese meaning | Kotomora

かかりきり

か

か

り

き

り

Meanings

1

noun

being completely occupied with; devoting oneself entirely to

usually written using kana alone

Describes a state where one is so absorbed in a single task or person that they cannot attend to anything else. Often used with ～になる or ～だ.

最さい近きん、仕し事ごとにかかりきりで、家か事じが全ぜん然ぜんできていない。
Lately I've been completely tied up with work and haven't been able to do any housework at all.
母ははは病びょう気きの祖そ母ぼにかかりきり

Written forms

掛かかりきり
Rare kanji spelling; the kana form is strongly preferred.
掛かかり切きり
Rare kanji spelling; the kana form is strongly preferred.
掛かかり切きり
Rare kanji spelling; the kana form is strongly preferred.

Kanji

掛hang, suspend, depend
切cut, cutoff, be sharp

だ

。

My mother is completely occupied with caring for my sick grandmother.

Similar words

夢む中ちゅう
夢中 means being absorbed in something enjoyable, while かかりきり emphasizes being tied up and unable to do other things, often with a sense of burden.
没ぼっ頭とう
没頭 is a more formal, literary term for immersing oneself in an activity, whereas かかりきり is a common, everyday expression.

Etymology

From the verb 掛かる (かかる, 'to be engaged in') + きり (from 切る, indicating a state of being completely in that condition).