〜ばきりがない (~ba kiri ga nai) — if you start ~, there's no end

Complaints, worries, wants — start and they never end, so you have to stop somewhere.

Formula (सूत्र ढाँचा)

Vば + きりがない

Grammar rule (व्याकरण नियम र परिभाषा)

When to use it

Working in Japan, the complaints can pile up — low pay, long hours, a tiny room… and a friend says: 「文句を言えばきりがないよ」— 'start complaining and there's no end.'
The form works in both speech and writing.

Meaning

「きり」means an end or limit, so 「〜ばきりがない」= 'once you start this, it never finishes, so you have to stop somewhere'.
What follows is usually 'so let's stop here / be content with this'.

How to attach

To attach it, use the verb's ば-form (言えば・数えれば・心配すれば) + 「きりがない」.
It is also said with 「〜たら」or 「〜と」(上を見たらきりがない).
「欲を言えばきりがない」(there's no end to wanting more) is a set phrase

Versus what you know

N2「〜たきり」(会ったきり = met once and nothing since) also has 「きり」, but there it means 'and it stayed like that'; here 「きりがない」= 'there is no limit'.
The previous point 「にもほどがある」scolds someone for going too far; 「ばきりがない」calmly says 'this will never end, let it go'.

Watch out

Only an action you can keep repeating comes before it — counting, saying, worrying, comparing, looking higher; it doesn't fit a one-time event like 「合格すればきりがない」.

Examples (उदाहरणहरू)

欲を言えばきりがないが、この給料なら十分だと思う。

よくをいえばきりがないが、このきゅうりょうならじゅうぶんだとおもう。

There's no end to wanting more, but I think this salary is enough.

How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 欲を言う = to say what you want → ば-form: 言えば → 「きりがない」 = there's no end → after 「が」, 'I'll be content with this': この給料なら十分だ.

新しい職場の不満を数えればきりがないので、もう考えないことにした。

あたらしいしょくばのふまんをかぞえればきりがないので、もうかんがえないことにした。

There's no end once I start counting complaints about my new workplace, so I've decided to stop thinking about them.

How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 不満を数える = to count complaints → ば-form: 数えれば → 「きりがない」 = it never ends → 「ので」 = so → もう考えないことにした = decided not to think about it any more.

地震の心配をすればきりがない。できる準備だけしておこう。

じしんのしんぱいをすればきりがない。できるじゅんびだけしておこう。

Worry about earthquakes and there's no end to it. Let's just make the preparations we can.

How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 心配をする = to worry → ば-form: すれば → 「きりがない」 = there's no end → then 'let's just do this much': できる準備だけしておこう.

Knowledge check (मिनी ज्ञान जाँच)

Question: 1/3

「上を見＿＿きりがないよ。今の部屋で十分だ。」— fill the blank.

💡 Hint: What is the ば-form of 見る?