けり

Meanings

1. Auxiliary verb indicates recollection or realization (i.e. of hearsay or the past); can form a poetic past tense
2. indicates continuation from the past to the present
3. Noun end; conclusion (from the use of the aux. at the end of waka, also written with the ateji 鳧) See also: ケリがつく. See also: けりをつける.

Example sentences

• 始めよければ半ば成功。
  Well begun is half done.
• 始めよければ終わりよし。
  A good beginning makes a good ending.
• 場合によりけりだと思います。
  I think it depends.
• 神光あれと言給ひければ光ありき。
  And God said: Let there be light. And there was light.
• ダニエル王にいひけるは願くは王長壽かれ
  Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.

Words containing けり

• よりけり depends on
• 寝るほど楽はなかりけり (ねるほどらくはなかりけり) there is nothing better than sleeping
• べかりけり should

And 1 more.

Jinuma: Japanese Dictionary · Word lists