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〜切る・〜切れない

do completely; can't (possibly) finish

Verb ます-stem + 切る / 切れる / 切れない

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切る after a ます-stem means doing something completely, to the very end: 一晩で本を読み切った, "I read the whole book in one night". 切る means "cut", so the image is of cutting it off at the end.

The potential negative, 切れない, means you can't finish it all, usually because there's too much: 一人では食べ切れない, "I can't eat all this on my own". 数え切れない, "countless", is a set phrase.

It also means "totally, utterly" with states: 疲れ切る, "be completely exhausted"; 分かり切ったこと, "something utterly obvious".

Compare 終わる, which only says an action ended. 切る says it was done fully, often with effort.

Examples

  • 一晩ひとばんで本ほんを読よみ切きった。

    I read the whole book in a single night.

  • こんなにたくさん、一人ひとりでは食たべ切きれない。

    I can't eat this much on my own.

  • マラソンを最後さいごまで走はしり切きった。

    I ran the whole marathon, right to the end.

  • 夜空よぞらには数かぞえ切きれないほど星ほしがあった。

    There were more stars in the night sky than anyone could count.

  • 疲つかれ切きって、何なにもできない。

    I'm completely exhausted and can't do anything.

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