限り

Japanese

Kanji in this term
限
かぎ Grade: 5
kun’yomi

Etymology

From the nominalized form of the verb 限る (kagiru).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) か​ぎり [káꜜgìrì] (Atamadaka – [1])
• (Tokyo) かぎり​ [kàgíríꜜ] (Odaka – [3])
• IPA^(key): [ka̠ɡʲiɾʲi]

Noun

限(かぎ)り • (kagiri) 

1. limit, extent, scope

   人間(にんげん)の力(ちから)には限(かぎ)りがある

   ningen no chikara ni wa kagiri ga aru

   humans' powers have limits

2. very, to a great extent

   大学(だいがく)に受(う)かって、嬉(うれ)しい限(かぎ)りだ。

   Daigaku ni ukatte, ureshii kagiri da.

   I was so thrilled that I got accepted into the university.

3. to the best of one's ability

   声(こえ)を限(かぎ)りに叫(さけ)ぶ

   koe o kagiri ni sakebu

   to yell as loud as one possibly can

   力(ちから)の限(かぎ)り戦(たたか)う

   chikara no kagiri tatakau

   to fight using all the power one has to offer

4. as long as

   生(い)きている限(かぎ)り、嬉(うれ)しいことも悲(かな)しいことも必(かなら)ずある。

   Ikiteiru kagiri, ureshii koto mo kanashii koto mo kanarazu aru.

   As long as you live, there will always be happy and sad things.

   医者(いしゃ)である限(かぎ)り、患者(かんじゃ)を助(たす)けるために必死(ひっし)に頑張(がんば)らなければならない。

   Isha de aru kagiri, kanja o tasukeru tame ni hisshi ni ganbaranakereba naranai.

   As long as you are a doctor, you must work hard to help the patient.

5. as far as (indicating speaker's knowledge)

   私(わたし)の見(み)る限(かぎ)りでは、彼(かれ)は信頼(しんらい)できる人物(じんぶつ)だ。

   Watashi no miru kagiri de wa, kare wa shinrai dekiru jinbutsu da.

   As far as I can tell, he is a trustworthy person.

6. unless... (after negative verb)
   • 2007, 新時代日漢辭典／新时代日汉辞典 (Xīn Shídài Rì-hàn Cídiǎn), 1st edition, 大新書局／大新书局 (Dàxīn Shūjú), →ISBN:

     君(きみ)が謝(あやま)らない限(かぎ)り許(ゆる)さない。

     Kimi ga ayamaranai kagiri yurusanai.

     Unless you apologise, I won't forgive you.

   • 2007, 新時代日漢辭典／新时代日汉辞典 (Xīn Shídài Rì-hàn Cídiǎn), 1st edition, 大新書局／大新书局 (Dàxīn Shūjú), →ISBN:

     仕事(しごと)が終(お)わらない限(かぎ)りは帰(かえ)らない。

     Shigoto ga owaranai kagiri wa kaeranai.

     Unless you finish your job, you won't be going home.

   • 2007, 新時代日漢辭典／新时代日汉辞典 (Xīn Shídài Rì-hàn Cídiǎn), 1st edition, 大新書局／大新书局 (Dàxīn Shūjú), →ISBN:

     絶対必要(ぜったいひつよう)でない限(かぎ)りタクシーを使(つか)わない。

     Zettai hitsuyō de nai kagiri takushī o tsukawanai.

     Unless it is absolutely necessary, I won't take the taxi.

7. ... only (e.g. "one time only", "today only")

   無料(むりょう)サービスは今週(こんしゅう)限(かぎ)りで終(お)わります。

   Muryō sābisu wa konshū kagiri de owarimasu.

   Free service available only this week.

8. (archaic) end of one's life; final moments; death​
9. (archaic) funeral; burial

Derived terms

• 見渡(みわた)す限(かぎ)り (miwatasu kagiri)
• その場限(ばかぎ)り (sonoba kagiri)