けり

See also: げり

Japanese

Etymology 1

Contracted from 来 (き) (ki, “to come”, continuative stem) + あり (ari, “to be”).

Suffix

けり (rōmaji -keri)

  1. (Classical Japanese, jodōshi) Indicates past tense: -ed
    Mostly used when the speaker was not a witness, but was rather told about the event described, as opposed to き. But it can also be used to describe direct experiences.
    • 10th century, anon., The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter
      今 (いま)は昔 (むかし)竹 (たけ)取 (とり)の翁 (おきな)といふものありけり
      ima wa mukashi take tori no okina to ifu mono ari keri
      Long ago there was an old man who cut bamboos.
  2. (Classical Japanese, jodōshi) Indicates that the speaker has just realized something.
    Most notably used at the end of a poem to denote an exclamatory tone.
    • 773 CE – 824 CE, Emperor Heizei, Kokin Wakashū 90
      ふるさととなりにし奈 (な)良 (ら)の都 (みやこ)にも色 (いろ)はかはらず花 (はな)は咲 (さ)きけり
      furusato to nari ni shi nara no miyako ni mo iro wa kaharazu hana wa saki keri
      Although becoming old and abandoned, the Nara capital did not change its color and the flowers are still blooming.

Conjugation
Classical conjugation of "けり" (ラ行変格活用, see Appendix:Japanese verbs.)
Stem forms
Irrealis (未然形) けらkera
Continuative (連用形) -
Terminal (終止形) けりkeri
Attributive (連体形) けるkeru
Realis (已然形) けれkere
Imperative (命令形) -
Key constructions
Negative けらず[1]kerazu
[1]Also ざりけり, past tense of ず (zu).

Usage notes

Follows the 連用形 (ren'yōkei, “continuative or stem form”) of inflectable words.

Etymology 2

From etymology 1, because けり is often used at the end of a poem.

Noun

けり (rōmaji keri)

  1. ending; conclusion

Etymology 3

Noun

けり (katakana ケリ, rōmaji keri)

  1. 鳧, 計里, 水札: a grey-headed lapwing
  2. 蹴り: kick
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