Looking up...
一人きりで
hitori-kiri de
alone
一人きりで映画を見た。
I watched the movie alone.
informal
Being by oneself without others present.
一人きりで過ごす時間が好きです。
I like spending time alone.
一人きりで旅行に行きました。
I traveled alone.
Emphasizes solitude or independence. Often used in personal contexts.
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Emphasis on Solitude
一人きりで emphasizes being physically alone, while 一人で can sometimes imply doing something independently without necessarily being physically alone (e.g., 一人で勉強する 'study by oneself').
Gold Rule
Context Matters
Use 一人きりで when the focus is on the emotional or situational aspect of being alone, rather than just the act of doing something alone.
Word Origin
Combination of '一人' (hitori, 'one person') + 'きり' (kiri, contracted form of '切り' meaning 'limit' or 'only') + 'で' (de, particle indicating manner/condition). Literally means 'with only one person' or 'limited to oneself'.
Usage Notes
More emphatic than '一人で' (alone) and conveys a stronger sense of isolation or deliberate solitude. Often used in emotional or introspective contexts.
Word Breakdown
一人
one person
nounきり
only, limited to
suffixで
by means of, in the state of
particle和英辞典