JLPT N2 grammar

〜切るmeaning and usage

Meaning

To do A completely/exhaustively/to the end

How to form it

  • verb (masu-stem)切る
  • verb (masu-stem)切れる/切れない
  • verb (masu-stem)切ったnoun

How it is used

After a masu-stem, means doing something completely, with nothing left (「使い切る」, 「読み切る」), or being in a state to the extreme (「疲れ切る」). Stronger than 「〜終わる」, which only says an action has ended.

Examples

  1. 彼はバイト代をもう使い切ったようだ。

    It seems like he's already used up the earnings from his part-time job.

  2. 五百ページの小説を、一晩で読み切った。

    I read the whole 500-page novel in one night.

  3. マラソンを走り切った彼女は、疲れ切った顔で笑った。

    Having run the whole marathon, she smiled, completely worn out.