JLPT N2・N4 Grammar – Difference between “〜まま” and “〜きり”

Table of Contents

1. Difference between “〜まま” and “〜きり”
2. AままB
3. AきりB
4. Let’s Compare
5. Summary
6. Quiz
7. Similar Articles
8. Comment

Q: What is the difference between “〜まま” and “〜きり”?

A: Both of these expressions indicate that a certain state continues unchanged, but their meanings and usage differ.

AままB (JLPT N4)

[Meaning]
After the state or action of A is completed, B is done without changing that state.

[Rules]
[V] Verb in past form／negative form＋まま
[A] い adjective＋まま
[Na] な adjective＋まま
[N] Noun＋ の＋まま

[Examples]
めがねをかけたまま寝ねてしまいました。
I fell asleep with my glasses on.

何なにも変かわらないまま時間じかんだけが過すぎました。
Time passed without anything changing.

このかばんに冷つめたいものを入いれると、何なん時間じかんも冷つめたいままにできる。
If you put cold items in this bag, they will stay cold for hours.

この場所ばしょは何なん年ねん経たってもきれいなままです。
This place remains beautiful even after many years.

日本にほんの卵たまごは生なまのまま食たべられます。
Eggs in Japan can be eaten raw.

AきりB (JLPT N2)

[Meaning]
After the state or action of A is completed, the state of not doing B (or B not occurring) continues.

[Rules]
[V] Verb past form＋きり (〜ない)

[Examples]
祖母そぼが朝あさ、出でかけたきりなかなか帰かえって来きません。
My grandmother went out in the morning and hasn’t come back yet.

社長しゃちょうとは入社にゅうしゃの日ひに一いち度ど話はなしたきり話はなしていません。
I talked to the president once on my first day of joining the company and haven’t talked to him since.

山田やまださんとは結婚けっこん式しきで会あったきりずっと会あっていません。
I haven’t seen Mr. Yamada since we met at the wedding.

海外かいがい旅行りょこうは3年ねん前まえに行いったきりです。
I haven’t been abroad since my trip three years ago.

Let’s Compare

In this way, both “〜まま” and “〜きり” indicate a state that continues, but their meanings differ, so they cannot be used interchangeably.

Let’s look at each in more detail.

[ＡままＢ]

It is used when the normally expected action or change, or the action that should be taken or the change that should occur, does not happen, and a second action takes place.

[Examples]
めがねをかけたまま寝ねてしまいました。
I fell asleep with my glasses on.
⇒ Normally, you should take off your glasses, but the speaker fell asleep with them on.
　　　　
日本にほんの卵たまごは生なまのまま食たべられます。
Eggs in Japan can be eaten raw.
⇒ Globally, eggs are usually eaten cooked, but in Japan, they can be eaten raw.

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[ＡきりＢ]

After the state or action of A is completed, something unexpected occurs in B, and this state continues. B is often followed by a negative sentence.

[Examples]
祖母そぼが朝あさ、出でかけたきりなかなか帰かえって来こないので心配しんぱいです。
I’m worried because my grandmother went out in the morning and hasn’t come back yet.
⇒ Since my grandmother went out in the morning, the unexpected state of her not coming back has continued.

姉あねは10年ねん前まえに海外かいがいに行いったきり、そのままそこに住すんでいます。
My sister went abroad ten years ago and has been living there ever since.
⇒ Since she went abroad, the unexpected state of her living there has continued.

There are words that are often used with “きり.”
・寝ねた＋きり⇒　寝ねたきり（Noun）
・会あった＋きり⇒ 会あったきり／会あったっきり (colloquial form of “会ったきり”)

[Examples]
家族かぞくで寝ねたきりの祖母そぼの面倒めんどうをみています。
We take care of my bedridden grandmother as a family.
⇒ This indicates the state of being bedridden has continued for a long time without being able to get up.

彼女かのじょとは一いち度ど会あったきり、二に度どと会あっていません。
I met her once and haven’t seen her since.
⇒ This indicates that since the last time they met, they haven’t seen each other.

Summary

[ＡままＢ]

• It is used when a second action occurs without the “normally expected action or change” or “the action that should be taken or the change that should occur.”
• When followed by a sentence, it indicates performing a different action within that state.

[ＡきりＢ]

• It indicates that after a certain state or action is completed, something unexpected occurs and continues in that state.
• It is often followed by a negative sentence.

Quiz

Read the following sentence and choose the expression that fits the context from the options provided in the parentheses.

Click on the question to check the answer.

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