1. Basic structure
| Combination | Formation with ～ばきりがない | Pattern example | Meaning |
|---|
| Verb | V-ば + きりがない | 欠点を言い出せばきりがない。 | If you do A, there's "no end" |
| Fixed expression | 挙げれ(ば)／数え上げれ(ば) + きりがない | 例を挙げればきりがない。 | Countless if you list them |
| Variant | V-たら／V-と + きりがない | 欲を言い出したらきりがない。 | Colloquial; similar meaning |
2. Core meaning & detailed analysis
- "If … then there's no end/no limit"; once you start doing/listing/demanding, it will go on endlessly.
- Commonly used for complaints, examples, desires, worries… that can go on indefinitely.
- Has a cautionary, self-restraint nuance: implies "let's not go further in that direction."
3. Example sentences
- 欠点を言い出せばきりがない。
If you start pointing out faults, there's no end. - 心配しだせばきりがないから、今できることに集中しよう。
If you start worrying, there's no end to it, so let's focus on what we can do now. - 例を挙げればきりがないが、代表的なものだけ述べる。
There are endless examples to give, but I'll mention only the representative ones. - 欲を言い出したらきりがないよ。
If you keep asking for more, there will be no end. - 不満を挙げればきりがないので、この辺でやめよう。
If we list our complaints, it will be endless, so let's stop around here.
4. Usage & nuances
- Often pairs with verbs that mean "to start bringing up": 言い出す, 挙げる, 数え上げる, 心配する, 文句を言う.
- Used in discussions to cut short long lists and bring the topic back to the point.
- In colloquial speech you can use ～たら／～ときりがない, but in JLPT-style standard usage, ～ばきりがない is more common.
5. Comparison, distinctions, and similar patterns
| Pattern | Meaning | Difference | Short example |
|---|
| ～ばきりがない | If you do it, it's endless | Standard pattern, more formal | 例を挙げればきりがない |
| ～たら/～ときりがない | If/once … then it's endless | Colloquial, same meaning | 話し出したら/ときりがない |
| 限りがない | No limits | Adjectival/describes a state, unlike the conditional "if … then" | 宇宙は限りがない |
| きりがない | Endless (non-conditional) | Used independently as a remark | それはきりがないよ |
6. Additional notes
- The root meaning of “きり/切り” is "limit, stopping point." “きりがない” = "there is no stopping point."
- Often placed before the concluding clause to cut short a list: ～ばきりがないが、要点だけ述べる。
- With “欲を言えば/言い出せば” it carries a self-reflective, restraining tone.
7. Variations & fixed phrases
- 言い出せばきりがない／文句を言い出せばきりがない
- 例を挙げればきりがない／数え上げればきりがない
- 心配しだせばきりがない／欲を言い出したらきりがない
8. Common mistakes & JLPT traps
- Confusing it with “限りがない”: that one is the property "without limits," not the conditional structure "if … then it's endless."
- Missing “ば/たら/と”: ×言い出すきりがない → correct: 言い出せばきりがない.
- Using it for a one-off action that ends immediately → not appropriate (this pattern implies something that drags on endlessly).
- The JLPT often tests fixed collocations: 欠点を言い出せばきりがない／例を挙げればきりがない.
Emphasis / Intensification
