ぎりぎり
Meanings
1
na-adjective, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no', noun, adverb
just barely; only just; at the very limit; at the last moment
onomatopoeic or mimetic wordusually written using kana alone
Describes a situation where something is extremely close to a limit, deadline, or threshold, often with a sense of tension or narrow escape. Can be used adverbially, as a noun, or as an adjective with な or の.
I barely caught the train.
I submitted the report at the very last minute before the deadline.
This budget is at the absolute limit.
Usage patterns
- 〈時〉にぎりぎり間に合うto barely make it in time for something
I barely made it in time for the train's departure.
- ぎりぎりまで〈動詞〉to do something right up until the last possible moment
I kept working right up until the deadline.
- ぎりぎりで〈動詞〉to do something by the narrowest of margins
I passed the exam by the narrowest margin.
- ぎりぎりの〈物〉the bare minimum amount of something
We're living on a bare-minimum budget.