ひっきりなし

ひっきりなし
adverb
incessantly; without pause; nonstop
1. incessantly; without pause; nonstop
Describes something that continues without any break or interruption. Used for repeated actions or a continuous stream of events, people, or things.
電話(でんわ)がひっきりなしに()る。
The phone rings nonstop.
(きゃく)がひっきりなしに()人気店(にんきてん)だ。
It's a popular shop where customers come in nonstop.
年末(ねんまつ)忘年会(ぼうねんかい)予約(よやく)がひっきりなしに(はい)ってくる。
At the end of the year, reservations for year-end parties come in without pause.

An adverb meaning without interruption or cessation. Almost always used with the particle に as ひっきりなしに. Describes a stream of events, visitors, calls, or other repeated occurrences that never lets up.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • ひっきりなしに()る: to ring nonstop
  • ひっきりなしに()る: to come without pause
  • ひっきりなしに(つづ)く: to continue without a break
  • ひっきりなしに(はな)す: to talk incessantly

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • ()()なく: ceaselessly — more literary, can describe both discrete and continuous events
  • ずっと: continuously — broader usage, simply means "the whole time"
  • (やす)みなく: without rest — emphasizes the lack of breaks rather than the frequency of occurrence

ETYMOLOGY:
From ()()り (one after another) + なし (without end). The original meaning of ()()り refers to things following one another in rapid succession.