Japanese word

持ちきり

Pronunciation

Romajimochikiri

Meaning

  • nountalk of the town

Example

今日は新しい店の話で持ちきりです。kyō wa atara shi i mise no hanashi de mo chi ki ri de su

Today, the new store is the talk of the town.

Illustration for 持ちきり (talk of the town)

More examples

試合後の判定の話で、翌朝まで持ちきりでした。shi ai go no han tei no hanashi de yoku asa ma de mo chi ki ri de shi ta

The decision after the game remained a hot topic of conversation until the next morning.

Core concept

It describes a situation in which discussion keeps returning to one subject and leaves little room for other topics.

Common phrases

  • 話題で持ちきりwa dai de mo chi ki ri

    be the talk of the town

  • その話で持ちきりso no hanashi de mo chi ki ri

    be all anyone can talk about

Definition in Japanese

多くの人が一つの事柄について話し続け、会話がその話題で占められている状態。ō ku no hito ga hito tsu no koto gara ni tsu i te hana shi tsuzu ke kai wa ga so no wa dai de shi me ra re te i ru jō tai

Word origin

持ちきり (mochikiri) is the noun form of 持ち切る (mochikiru), combining 持つ (motsu, "to hold") with 切る (kiru, "completely") to describe one topic occupying all the talk.

Usage tips

  • 持ちきり (mochikiri) often follows a noun with で (de) and describes conversation dominated by that topic, without saying whether the topic is good or bad.

Other meanings

  • hot topicnoun

Word lists with this word