「〜を皮切りに」: the first of a series
「皮切り」 originally meant the first burn in moxibustion, and came to mean “the start, the first one”. Noun + 「を皮切りに」 means this comes first, and similar events follow one after another: a tour opens in one place and moves on to other cities; after the first shop opens, branches open one by one. It is common in the news, announcements and introductions. What follows must be a series of events, often with 「次々と」, 「相次いで」 or 「各地で」.
| Form | How it attaches | Example | Style |
|---|---|---|---|
| 「〜を皮切りに」 | noun + 「を皮切りに」 | 東京公演を皮切りに | news, announcements, introductions |
| 「〜を皮切りにして」 | noun + 「を皮切りにして」 | 東京公演を皮切りにして | same as above |
| 「〜を皮切りとして」 | noun + 「を皮切りとして」 | 東京公演を皮切りとして | more written |
| verbs: 「〜のを皮切りに」 | verb ta form + 「のを皮切りに」 | 一号店を開いたのを皮切りに | news, introductions |
地元での公演を皮切りに、全国を回るツアーが始まる。
Starting with a performance in their home town, a tour of the whole country is about to begin.
駅前に一号店を開いたのを皮切りに、その店は県内に次々と店舗を増やしていった。
Starting with its first shop in front of the station, the business opened one branch after another across the prefecture.
市長のあいさつを皮切りに、三日間の祭りが幕を開けた。
The three-day festival opened with a speech by the mayor.
一人の住民の訴えを皮切りに、同じような被害の報告が相次いだ。
Starting with a complaint from one resident, reports of similar harm came in one after another.
It can also describe a series of bad events; this is common in the news.
来週の説明会を皮切りに、地区ごとに意見を聞く会を開く予定だ。
Starting with next week’s briefing session, meetings will be held in each district to hear people’s views.
Watch out
Common mistakesAfter 「を皮切りに」 there must be similar events that follow. Don’t use it for something that happens only once, or when the two halves are different kinds of thing: for “I started a part-time job when I started university”, say 「入学をきっかけに」, not 「入学を皮切りに」. It describes how a series of events unfolds; for a small personal plan such as “I’ll keep a diary from tomorrow”, 「明日から」 is enough.
Compare
「をきっかけに」 and 「を皮切りに」「をきっかけに」 (N2 lesson 22) gives the trigger for a change, and the two halves can be different kinds of thing: 「旅行をきっかけに、写真に興味を持った」. 「を皮切りに」 gives the first in a series of similar events: 「大阪を皮切りに、各地で上映された」.
「〜を限りに」: up to here, and no more
Noun + 「を限りに」 means this point is the last, and after it … no more. Before it usually comes a time word such as 「今日」, 「今月」, 「今年度」 or 「今回」; after it comes a decision to stop, end or withdraw: giving up smoking, retiring, closing a shop, ending a service. It works both for a personal resolution and for notices from shops and companies. For a personal resolution it carries a formal ring of “I have made up my mind; this is a clean break”.
| Form | How it attaches | Example | Style |
|---|---|---|---|
| 「〜を限りに」 | time noun + 「を限りに」 | 今日を限りに | written; formal announcements |
| 「〜限りで」 | time noun + 「限りで」 | 今月限りで | spoken, notices; same meaning, more common |
| set phrase 「声を限りに」 | — | 声を限りに叫ぶ | written: (shout) with all your strength |
今日を限りに、夜中にお菓子を食べるのはやめる。
After today, I will stop eating snacks in the middle of the night.
このサービスは、今月末を限りに提供を終了いたします。
This service will be discontinued at the end of this month.
ベテランの選手が、今シーズンを限りに現役を引退すると発表した。
A veteran player has announced that he will retire at the end of this season.
長年続いた深夜のラジオ番組が、今回の放送を限りに終わることになった。
A late-night radio programme that has run for many years will end with this broadcast.
遭難者は、救助のヘリに向かって声を限りに叫んだ。
The stranded person shouted at the top of their voice towards the rescue helicopter.
You only need to understand 「声を限りに」.
Watch out
Common mistakesAfter 「を限りに」 comes stopping, ending or withdrawing. To start something, use 「〜から」 or 「〜を機に」: for “I’ve decided to start running from today”, say 「今日から走ることにした」. For something that ends on schedule anyway, just give the time: for “the meeting ends at three”, say 「会議は三時に終わる」, not 「三時を限りに」.
Compare
「を最後に」 and 「を限りに」「を最後に」 says “that was the last time; after it, there was no more …”. It is usually a fact seen looking back, and often nothing more follows: 「その手紙を最後に、連絡が途絶えた」. 「を限りに」 is usually a decision or announcement made in advance, and mostly follows a time word. It can also be used looking back: 「その日を限りに、彼は姿を見せなくなった」 (from that day on, he was never seen again).
「〜をもって」: a formal end or deadline
In lesson 1 you learnt 「をもって」 for means. After a time noun, it can also mark the point at which something formally ends or closes: “as of …, up to …”. It is very common in notices, announcements and speeches; to customers, 「をもちまして」 is more formal. Official documents also use it for the date something takes effect (「〜をもって施行する」), but its commonest use is for endings.
| Form | Example | Meaning | Style |
|---|---|---|---|
| time noun + 「をもって」 | 本日をもって | today is the last day | notices, announcements |
| time noun + 「をもちまして」 | 本日をもちまして | same as above, more formal | to customers, announcements, speeches |
| 「以上をもちまして」 | 以上をもちまして、閉会いたします | this concludes … | closing words of a meeting or ceremony |
| 「〜をもって締め切る」 | 三月末日をもって締め切ります | closes on … | notices, rules |
駅前店は、今月三十日をもちまして閉店いたします。
Our station branch will close on the 30th of this month.
応募の受付は、三月末日をもって締め切ります。
Applications will close on the last day of March.
以上をもちまして、本日の説明会を終了いたします。
This concludes today’s briefing session.
山田部長は、九月三十日をもって退職されることになりました。
Yamada, our department manager, will be leaving the company as of 30 September.
新しい規則は、四月一日をもって施行される。
The new rules will come into effect on 1 April.
For the date something takes effect; used in rules and official documents.
Watch out
Common mistakes「をもって」 for endings belongs in formal notices. To a friend, “let’s call it a day” is 「今日はこれで終わりにしよう」, and “I’m quitting at the end of this month” is 「今月で辞めるんだ」. With 「をもって」, you sound as if you are reading out a notice.
Tip
「を限りに」 and 「をもって」 are often interchangeable: both 「今月を限りに閉店」 and 「今月をもって閉店」 work. 「をもって」 is a businesslike notice; 「を限りに」 adds resolve and strong feeling: “this is where it ends, and it won’t go on”.
Compared with similar expressions
| Expression | Meaning | What usually follows | Style | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 「を皮切りに」 | starting with … | similar events, one after another | news, announcements | 東京を皮切りに全国で公開された |
| 「をきっかけに」 (N2 lesson 22) | triggered by … | the change it brings about | any situation | 留学をきっかけに料理を始めた |
| 「をはじめ（として）」 | … and others, led by … (naming the leading example) | other members of the same group | written, speeches | 社長をはじめ、全社員が集まった |
| 「を限りに」 | up to …, then no more | stopping, ending, withdrawing | written, formal announcements | 今日を限りにたばこをやめる |
| 「を最後に」 | … was the last time | nothing more after that | spoken and written | あの電話を最後に連絡がない |
| 「をもって」 | as of … (formal) | ending, closing | notices, announcements | 本日をもって受付を終了する |
| 「で」 | up to … | ending | spoken | 今日でアルバイトを辞める |
| Don’t say | Say | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 入学を皮切りに、アルバイトを始めた。 | 入学をきっかけに、アルバイトを始めた。 | not the first of a series but a trigger |
| 今日を限りに、毎朝ジョギングを始める。 | 今日から、毎朝ジョギングを始める。 | 「を限りに」 is followed by stopping, not starting |
| 会議は四時を限りに終わった。 | 会議は四時に終わった。 | it ends on schedule: just give the time |
| 今日はこれをもって帰るね。 | 今日はこれで帰るね。 | with friends, use 「で」 |
| 社長を皮切りに、全社員が会議に出席した。 | 社長をはじめ、全社員が会議に出席した。 | naming a leading example, not the first of a series |
Compare
“Starting with … (and then …)” is close to 「を皮切りに」; “no longer …” and “from … on” are close to 「を限りに」; “as of” and “effective” are close to 「をもって」. “As of” is common in everyday English too, but 「をもって」 appears only in formal notices; with friends, say 「〜で」.
Dialogue and short text: an old café moves, news of a touring exhibition
- 佐藤
マスター、入り口の貼り紙、見ましたよ。今月末をもって閉店って、本当ですか。
I saw the notice at the entrance. “Closing as of the end of this month”: is that true?
- マスター
ええ。ビルの建て替えが決まりましてね。ここでの営業は今月限りなんです。
Yes. They’ve decided to rebuild the building, you see. This month is our last here.
- 佐藤
寂しくなりますね。学生のころから通っていたのに。
I’ll miss it. I’ve been coming here since I was a student.
- マスター
ありがとうございます。でも、店をやめるわけじゃないんですよ。来年の春、隣の駅に新しい店を開くんです。
Thank you. But I’m not giving up the business. Next spring I’m opening a new place by the next station.
- 佐藤
そうなんですか。よかった。
Really? That’s good to hear.
- マスター
その店を皮切りに、いずれは市内にあと二、三軒出せたらと思っています。
Starting with that one, I’d like to open two or three more in the city eventually.
- 佐藤
夢が広がりますね。ところで、たばこはどうするんですか。新しい店は全席禁煙だって聞きましたけど。
That’s an exciting plan. By the way, what about your smoking? I heard the new place will be completely non-smoking.
- マスター
実は、この店を閉める日を限りに、きっぱりやめると決めたんです。
Actually, I’ve decided to give it up for good on the day I close this place.
- 佐藤
本当ですか。じゃあ最終日には、お礼と応援を兼ねて、花を持ってきますね。
Really? Then on the last day I’ll bring you flowers, to say thank you and to wish you luck.
Sato is quoting the notice, so he uses the notice-style 「をもって」; the owner, speaking for himself, switches to the more conversational 「今月限り」. For the new shop as “the first of several”, he uses 「を皮切りに」; for his resolution to quit smoking, 「を限りに」, with the tone of a clean break.
絵本の原画展、全国を巡回へ
ある絵本作家の原画を集めた展覧会が、来月、作家の故郷の美術館での開催を皮切りに、全国八か所を巡回する。作家は今回の展覧会を限りに新作の発表から退くと明かしており、各地で多くの来場者が見込まれている。
Show the translation
An exhibition of original artwork by a picture-book author will open next month at an art museum in the author’s home town, and then tour eight venues around the country. The author has revealed that after this exhibition they will stop publishing new work, and large numbers of visitors are expected at every venue.
会期中は、作家本人によるサイン会も予定されている。なお、前売り券の販売は、各会場とも開幕の前日をもって終了する。
Show the translation
Book signings by the author are also planned during the exhibition. Advance ticket sales will end at every venue on the day before it opens.
The report uses 「を皮切りに」 for where the tour starts and where it goes next, 「を限りに」 for the author’s decision to publish no more new work, and finally 「をもって」 for when advance ticket sales close. The three cover “the start”, “no more after this” and “the formal close”.