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久しぶり with negatives?

4 Apr 2014
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I can't recall if i have ever seen 久しぶり being used while the action referred to is still in the state of not being done. To put it simple: whenever i see 久しぶり it becomes a reference point for any future 久しぶり, since the action or condition are manifesting at the moment: snow falls in Tokyo, air is clean in Beijing, someone meets an old friend, i get drunk etc.

But what if i want to say "it's been a long time, and it still isn't"? Like "I haven't had a haircut for a long time (and not having one any time soon)". Do i have to resort to 長い間 constructions, or can i still use 久しぶり? Does 酒を飲むのは久しぶりです automatically imply that i'm about to indulge or just had some?
 
From my (limited) experience, I hear 久しぶり used in cases where something hasn't been done (like your drinking example) regardless of whether the action is imminent (e.g. 彼?会うの久しぶり…)
Another being きり+[negative] to indicate the starting point of the period where the action hasn't been done.
As Mike said, there's also しばらく.
 
I have heard so many しばらくお待ちください so far, that it deeply rooted in my mind as しばらく=少々. Thank you for reminding me that it can also mean a while and a long time.

きり+[negative]
I'm not sure what you're talking about. Could you please give some example?
 
I can't recall if i have ever seen 久しぶり being used while the action referred to is still in the state of not being done. To put it simple: whenever i see 久しぶり it becomes a reference point for any future 久しぶり, since the action or condition are manifesting at the moment: snow falls in Tokyo, air is clean in Beijing, someone meets an old friend, i get drunk etc.
That meaning of 久しぶり is from ぶり, so 久しく, i.e the adverbial form of 久しい, has a similar meaning to しばらく.
e.g.
久しく髪を切っていない。
(cf. ひと月ぶりに雨が降った。)

But what if i want to say "it's been a long time, and it still isn't"? Like "I haven't had a haircut for a long time (and not having one any time soon)".
You can also use the construction (~から)ずっと…ない.
e.g.
ずっと髪を切っていない。
先月からずっと雨が降っていない。
テレビが壊れてからずっとテレビを見ていない。

Does 酒を飲むのは久しぶりです automatically imply that i'm about to indulge or just had some?
Yes.

I'm not sure what you're talking about. Could you please give some example?
去年会った(っ)きり、彼とは会っていない。
犬が家を出て行った(っ)きり戻ってこない。
 
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