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皮切り (かわきり) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

皮かわ切きり

か

わ

き

り

Common word›Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

beginning; start; first in a series

Used in the pattern ...を皮切りに(して) to mark the first event or action that kicks off a series. Often found in news reports and formal announcements.

東とう京きょう公こう演えんを皮かわ切きりに

、

全ぜん

国こく

ツアー

が

始はじ

まる

。

Starting with the Tokyo performance, a nationwide tour will begin.

彼かれの新しん曲きょく発はっ表ぴょうを皮かわ切きりにして、次つぎ々つぎと新しん情じょう報ほうが公こう開かいされた。

Beginning with the release of his new song, new information was disclosed one after another.

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉を皮かわ切きりにstarting with ~, marking the first in a series of events
東とう京きょう公こう演えんを皮かわ切きりに、全ぜん国こくツアーが始はじまった。
Starting with the Tokyo concert, the nationwide tour began.
〈事こと〉を皮かわ切きりとしてtaking ~ as the starting point (of a series)
この事じ件けんを皮かわ切きりとして、次つぎ々つぎと問もん題だいが発はっ覚かくした。
Starting with this incident, one problem after another came to light.

Grammar

を皮かわ切きりに（して）Starting with the first in a seriesN1

Kanji

皮pelt, skin, hide
切cut, cutoff, be sharp

Related words

始はじまりN3
始まり is the general word for 'beginning' or 'origin', while 皮切り specifically marks the first event that opens a whole series of similar events.
最さい初しょN4
最初 simply means 'first' in order, whereas 皮切り implies that a chain of related events follows the first one.
発ほっ端たんN1
発端 is a formal word for the origin or trigger of a situation (often trouble), while 皮切り highlights the first item in an intentional sequence, as in ...を皮切りに.

Built from

皮かわ+切きる

Etymology

Originally referred to the first cut made when skinning an animal, metaphorically extended to mean the start of a series of actions.