切きり札ふだ

き

り

ふ

だ

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

noun

trump card; trump

card games

In card games, the suit designated as trumps, or a specific trump card.

スペードが切きり札ふだ

の

ゲーム

だ

。

It's a game where spades are trumps.

最さい後ごの切きり札ふだを出だして勝かった。

I played my last trump card and won.

2

noun

ace up one's sleeve; secret weapon; last resort

Figurative use: a hidden advantage, decisive resource, or final option kept in reserve for a critical moment.

交こう渉しょうの切きり札ふだとしてその情じょう報ほうを使つかった。
He used that information as a trump card in the negotiations.
彼かの女じょは最さい後ごの切きり札ふだをまだ隠かくしている。
She is still hiding her final ace up her sleeve.

Usage patterns

切きり札ふだを出だすto play one's trump card
彼かれは最さい後ごに切きり札ふだを出だして逆ぎゃく転てんした。
He played his trump card at the end and turned the game around.
〈人ひと〉の切きり札ふだsomeone's trump card/secret weapon
この新しん技ぎ術じゅつが会かい社しゃの切きり札ふだになるだろう。
This new technology will probably become the company's trump card.
切きり札ふだを切きるto play/use one's trump card (decisively)
監かん督とくは試し合あいの終しゅう盤ばんで切きり札ふだを切きった。
The coach played his trump card late in the match.
〈事こと〉の切きり札ふだとして使つかうto use something as a trump card for a matter
彼かの女じょはその証しょう拠こを交こう渉しょうの切きり札ふだとして使つかった。

Kanji

切cut, cutoff, be sharp
札tag, paper money, counter for bonds

Related words

奥おくの手て sense 2
奥の手 emphasizes a secret skill or technique kept in reserve, while 切り札 focuses on a decisive resource or advantage used at a critical moment.
秘ひ策さく sense 2
秘策 refers to a secret plan or strategy devised in advance, whereas 切り札 is the specific resource or card played to win at a crucial point.
最さい終しゅう手しゅ段だん sense 2
最終手段 stresses that it is the last option left when all else fails, while 切り札 can be used earlier as a strong advantage, not only as a last resort.
きりN1
切り札 is the ordinary modern word for a trump card or decisive option, while standalone きり in that sense is old card-game jargon.
カードN4
切り札 specifically means a decisive trump card or ace in the hole, while カード in this figurative sense refers more broadly to any usable bargaining chip or tactic.

Counted with

枚まいN3
Used because 切り札 (trump cards) are thin, flat objects like cards, counted with 枚.

Built from

切きる+札ふだ

Written forms

切きり札ふだUsage92%
Standard kanji spelling; high priority in news and frequency lists.
切きり札ふだUsage8%
Simplified variant, less common but still encountered.

Etymology

Compound of 切り (kiri, 'cutting') + 札 (fuda, 'card, tag'). Originally referred to the card that 'cuts' or determines the trump suit in card games, later extended metaphorically to any decisive hidden advantage.

She used that evidence as a trump card in the negotiation.