持ち切り

もちきり

hot topic, talk of the town

JLPT N1

Character Breakdown

Meaning and Usage

持ち切り (もちきり) refers to a topic or subject that is being talked about continuously and widely, often becoming the "hot topic" or "talk of the town." It is commonly used to describe something that dominates conversations in a community or group.

Common Contexts

This word is often used in news, social discussions, or any situation where a particular event, issue, or item is attracting a lot of attention and discussion.

Collocations and Patterns

  • 持ち切りの話題 (もちきりのわだい): hot topic, the subject everyone is talking about
  • 持ち切りになる: to become the hot topic
  • 持ち切りの議題 (ぎだい): hot agenda item, frequently discussed topic in meetings or assemblies

Register and Nuance

持ち切り is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. It emphasizes the continuous and widespread nature of the discussion.

Common Mistake

Learners sometimes confuse 持ち切り with 持ち切る (to carry something to the end), but 持ち切り is a noun describing a state of being a hot topic, not a verb. Remember to use it as a noun phrase.

Example Sentences

あたらしいすまーとふぉんのはつばいがこんしゅうのもちきりのわだいだ。

The release of the new smartphone is the hot topic this week.

そのじけんはまちじゅうでもちきりになっている。

That incident is the talk of the whole town.

あたらしいほうりつあんがこっかいでもちきりのぎだいとなった。

The new bill became the hot topic in the parliament.