〜たきり

Expresses that after an action was done, the expected follow-up never happened, and things have stayed that way since. The main clause is usually negative (e.g. 〜ていない). Equivalent to "(did X) and never … since" or "only (did X) and then nothing more."

Used in everyday speech and writing to describe something that stopped after one action and has not progressed since, often with a sense of disappointment or unexpectedness. The following clause typically describes a continuing negative state, such as 連絡を取っていない or 帰ってこない. The variant 〜たっきり sounds more casual.

• きりN3「きり」 covers this pattern: when attached to a verb's た形, the meaning and usage are the same, and the two are interchangeable. It can also follow nouns to mean 'only' (「二人きり」), demonstratives to mean 'stopping right there,' and a small number of ます形 to express constant, devoted attention (「付ききり」).
• ままN4「まま」 focuses on a state simply remaining unchanged, and you can perform a subsequent action while in that state (e.g., going out with the window open); it carries no sense of loss that 'nothing came afterward.' It can also attach to ない形, adjectives, and nouns, and in sentences like 'went out and never came back' the two are interchangeable.
• て以来N2「て以来」 attaches to a verb's て形, to nouns, or to demonstratives; it leans toward a formal, written style, focuses on the entire span of time from the starting point to the present, and its second clause can be a positive change. When the second clause is negative it comes close to 「たきり」, but it cannot be limited to the past.
• ずじまいN1「ずじまい」 attaches to a verb's ない形 minus ない (する→せず) and expresses that something you wanted or were supposed to do ended up not being done at all, with the matter now closed; 「たきり」 means the first action was performed, after which there was no follow-up or things simply stayed in that state. Generally the two cannot be interchanged.
• っぱなしN3「っぱなし」 attaches to a verb's ます形 minus ます, leans colloquial, and refers to leaving things unattended without tidying up after finishing (often with a tone of reproach), or to the same action continuing for a long time; 「たきり」 attaches to the た形 and stresses that nothing follows afterward, so the two are generally not interchangeable.

After a noun, 「きり」 acts as a limiter meaning 'only,' while 「たきり」 means that nothing further happened after an event; 「まま」 only expresses a state remaining unchanged, with no regretful sense that 'nothing came after.' 「て以来」 describes a situation continuing since that time, and its second clause can be a positive change; 「ずじまい」 stresses that something you wanted to do never got done in the end; 「っぱなし」 means leaving something unattended or the same state continuing on and on, often with a tone of reproach.