てまで

go so far as to, even, to the point of, at the cost of

AI-generated

Structure

[verb て-form] + まで [noun] + までして

Description

てまで means "going so far as to ~". It goes after the て-form of a verb, and that verb names a cost – borrowing money, lying, losing sleep – paid for what the second half describes.

。

He went so far as to borrow money to buy a new car.

。

I don't want to protect myself if it means lying.

。

She is studying even at the cost of her sleep.

The speaker finds the cost out of proportion. Mostly that comes out as criticism or refusal, but it can also be surprise at how far someone went.

With a negative

Many sentences with てまで say the goal is not worth the cost, ending in ひつよう必要はない, ことはない or たくない.

。

There's no need to stay up all night to finish the work.

。

There's no reason to work to the point of sacrificing your health.

Noun + までして

With a noun, the same idea is までして: しゃっきん借金までして, "going as far as debt". そこまでして points back at a cost already mentioned.

。

He even went into debt to buy a new car.

。

Do you want to win that badly?

Examples

。

I don't think there's a need to go so far as to take on debt to study abroad.

。

I don't understand the reason to protect him to the extent of lying.

。

You should stop working overtime to the point of ruining your health.

。

She is studying even at the cost of cutting into her sleep.

きごう？

Do you want money so badly that you'd betray your friends?

。

There's no reason to go abroad alone to the point of worrying your family.

。

I can't understand the desire to climb a mountain even at the risk of danger.

。

I didn't want to ask for help to the extent of throwing away my pride.

。

You don't have to force yourself to smile.

。

You shouldn't chase your dreams to the point of hurting others.

。

That person tried to profit even by going so far as to break the law.

。

I don't want it badly enough to stand in line for it.

てはならない

て以来