きっかけ

き

っ

か

け

Common wordJLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

noun

chance; opportunity; trigger; impetus

usually written using kana alone

Refers to the initial spark, cue, or opportunity that sets something in motion. Often used in the pattern 〜をきっかけに(して) meaning 'taking ~ as a chance to...' or 'triggered by ~'.

彼かれとの出で会あいがきっかけで、日本にほん語ごを勉べん強きょうし始はじめた。
Meeting him was the trigger that made me start studying Japanese.
その映えい画がをきっかけに、環かん境きょう問もん題だいに関かん心しんを持もつようになった。
That movie was the impetus for me to become interested in environmental issues.

See all 107 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉をきっかけにtaking ~ as the trigger/opportunity for something
彼かれは病びょう気きをきっかけに禁きん煙えんした。
Prompted by his illness, he quit smoking.
〈事こと〉がきっかけでwith ~ as the trigger; because of ~
友とも達だちの紹しょう介かいがきっかけで彼かれと知しり合あった。
I got to know him through a friend's introduction.
きっかけをつかむto seize/find the right moment to do something
話はなしかけるきっかけをつかめなかった。
I couldn't find the chance to start talking to him.
きっかけを作つくるto create an opening/opportunity
彼かの女じょは会かい話わのきっかけを作つくった。
She created an opening for conversation.
いいきっかけになるto become a good opportunity/turning point
この失しっ敗ぱいが成せい長ちょうのいいきっかけになった。
This failure became a good opportunity for growth.

Grammar

がきっかけで・をきっかけに・を契けい機きに（して）what started it; prompted byN2

Kanji

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

Related words· 14

動どう機きN2
動機 is a formal, internal 'motive' for an action, while きっかけ is the casual, external 'trigger' or occasion that starts something.
契けい機きN2
契機 is a formal, often written word for a decisive turning point, whereas きっかけ is the everyday word for any small trigger or chance.
機き会かいN4
機会 means a general chance or opportunity to do something, while きっかけ specifically points to the event that sets a change in motion.
端たん緒しょ
端緒 is a stiff, literary word for the beginning or clue that starts an investigation or process, unlike the everyday, conversational きっかけ.

Show 10 more

引ひき金がねN1
きっかけ is a more general, neutral word for a chance or opportunity that starts something, while 引き金 emphasizes a direct, often negative, causal trigger.
呼よび水みず
きっかけ is a general word for any trigger or opportunity that starts something, while 呼び水 specifically evokes an initial small input that draws out a much larger response, like water priming a pump.
口くち火び
きっかけ is a neutral, everyday word for any opportunity or chance to start something, while 口火 is more dramatic and implies triggering a larger reaction such as an argument or movement.
トリガー
きっかけ is a softer, everyday word for the cue or impetus that starts something, whereas トリガー sounds more mechanical or technical, often used for a specific triggering event or condition.
誘さそい水みず
きっかけ is the everyday, neutral word for any trigger or opportunity, while 誘い水 carries a nuance of a deliberate, small push that sets off a larger chain of events.
糸いと口ぐち
きっかけ is a trigger or opportunity that sets an action or change in motion, whereas 糸口 is the thread-like beginning that leads into understanding or resolving something.
火ひ種だね
きっかけ is a neutral word for a 'trigger' or 'opportunity' to start something, whereas 火種 implies latent conflict or trouble waiting to ignite.
弾はずみ
きっかけ is the general word for a trigger or cause of something, while 弾み specifically carries the nuance of momentum or an impulsive, unplanned start.
発ほっ端たんN1
きっかけ is a casual word for a trigger or opportunity that starts something, whereas 発端 is more literary and often used for the opening of a narrative or chain of events.
原げん因いんN4
きっかけ is a casual word for the trigger or occasion that starts something, while 原因 is the more formal, analytical term for a cause.

Written forms

きっかけUsage95%
Standard modern spelling; the word is usually written in kana. The kanji form 切っ掛け is rare.
キッカケUsage4%
search-only kana form
Katakana spelling is occasionally seen in informal or stylistic writing, but is not standard.
切きっ掛かけUsage1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji form; learners should use the kana spelling.
切きっかけUsage<1%
search-only kanji form
切きっ掛かけUsage<1%
search-only kanji form

Etymology

Derived from the verb 切っ掛ける (kikkakeru), meaning 'to cut and hang' or 'to start something'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word has been used since the Edo period to mean 'a start' or 'an opportunity'.