すっぱり
すっぱり
adverb
cleanly; completely; decisively
1.
cleanly (cutting); in one clean stroke
Describes a clean, decisive cut — like one sword stroke or a single snip — with no jagged edge or hesitation.
紙をすっぱりと切る。
To cut the paper cleanly.
枝をすっぱり切り落とした。
He lopped the branch off in one clean stroke.
包丁は切れ味がよく、トマトをすっぱりと二つに切れた。
The knife was sharp and cut the tomato cleanly in two.
2.
completely (quitting, giving up); cleanly (breaking off)
Figurative extension: making a clean break with a habit, a relationship, or a desire — quitting once and for all, without lingering attachment. The most common modern usage.
タバコをすっぱりやめた。
I quit smoking for good.
彼とはすっぱり別れた。
I made a clean break with him.
過去のことはすっぱり忘れて新しい生活を始めよう。
Let's put the past completely behind us and start a new life.
Most often used today with verbs of quitting or breaking off (やめる, 別れる, 忘れる) to emphasize a decisive, no-residue break. Frequently appears with と as すっぱりと.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- すっぱりやめる: to quit cleanly, for good
- すっぱり諦める: to give up completely
- すっぱり忘れる: to put completely out of one's mind
- すっぱり別れる: to make a clean break
- すっぱり切る: to cut cleanly
SIMILAR WORDS:
- きっぱり: flatly; firmly — focuses on the decisiveness of refusal or declaration
- スパッと: in one clean stroke — very similar; also covers both cutting and quitting
- きれいに: cleanly; neatly — broader, also covers tidiness, not just decisiveness