きりきり
きりきり
adverb
sharp pain; tightly wound
1.
with sharp, piercing pain
Describes a stabbing or grinding pain, especially in the stomach.
ストレスで胃がきりきり痛む。
My stomach hurts with a sharp pain from stress.
きりきりと頭が痛い。
I have a piercing headache.
緊張すると胃がきりきりして食欲がなくなる。
When I get nervous, my stomach hurts with sharp pains and I lose my appetite.
2.
tightly; to the limit
Describes something wound, tied, or stretched very tight.
ネジをきりきりと締める。
Tighten the screw as tight as possible.
スケジュールがきりきりで余裕がない。
The schedule is so tight there's no room to spare.
年末はきりきり舞いの忙しさだった。
At year-end, I was so busy I was run off my feet.
TYPE: Mimetic word (giongo/gitaigo) representing sound or sensation.
SENSE 1 - PAIN:
- Describes sharp, stabbing pain
- Often associated with stomach (胃) or head (頭)
- きりきりと痛む is the most common pattern
- Suggests stress-related pain
SENSE 2 - TIGHTNESS:
- Suggests extreme tightness or tension
- Can refer to physical tightness (rope, screw) or metaphorical (schedule, budget)
- きりきり舞い: being extremely busy, spinning around
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 胃がきりきり痛む (stomach has sharp pains)
- きりきり舞いする (to be run off one's feet)
- きりきり締める (to tighten completely)
SIMILAR PAIN EXPRESSIONS:
- ずきずき: throbbing pain
- ちくちく: pricking pain
- しくしく: dull aching pain