とびきり

と

び

き

り

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no', noun

best; finest; top-notch

usually written using kana alone

Used as a no-adjective or noun to describe something of the highest quality or degree. Often appears in phrases like とびきりの品 or とびきりの笑顔.

この店みせのケーキはとびきりだ。
The cakes at this shop are the best.
彼かの

女じょ

は

とびきり

の

笑え

顔がお

で

迎むか

え

て

くれ

た

。

She greeted me with a brilliant smile.

2

noun, adverb

exceptionally; extraordinarily; by far

usually written using kana alone

Adverbial use meaning 'to an exceptional degree', often modifying adjectives or verbs. Can also be used as a noun with の to modify another noun.

今日きょうはとびきり暑あつい。
It's exceptionally hot today.
彼かれはとびきり上手じょうずな料りょう理り人にんだ。
He is an extraordinarily skilled chef.

3

noun

jumping and slashing

Original literal meaning, now rare. Refers to a leaping attack with a blade. Mostly encountered in historical or martial contexts.

古ふるい剣けん術じゅつ書しょには飛とび切きりという技わざが記しるされている。
Old swordsmanship manuals describe a technique called 'tobikiri' (jumping slash).

Written forms

とびきりUsage86%
Usually written in kana; the kanji form 飛び切り is also common.
飛とび切きりUsage13%
Standard kanji form; the kana spelling is more frequent in modern usage.
飛とび切きりUsage1%
search-only kanji form
Search-only variant; not a standard spelling.

Kanji

飛fly, skip (pages), scatter
切cut, cutoff, be sharp

Similar words

最さい高こう
最高 is a more common and straightforward word for 'best' or 'supreme', while とびきり carries a nuance of being exceptionally outstanding or top-tier, often with a more emotive feel.
抜ばつ群ぐん
抜群 means 'outstanding' or 'preeminent', similar to とびきり, but とびきり can also function adverbially to mean 'exceptionally'.

Etymology

Derived from the verb 飛び切る (とびきる), meaning 'to jump and cut'. The original literal sense of a leaping slash extended metaphorically to mean 'surpassing others' or 'exceptional'.