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〜かぎりだ

kagirida

By Nihongo PathUpdated

This form is also taught at JLPT N2, where it carries a different sense or register.

Meaning

extremely …; could not be more … (the speaker's own feeling)

Emotion adjective + かぎりだ says the speaker feels that emotion to the utmost: 嬉しいかぎりだ "I could not be happier". It is only used for the speaker's own present feeling and only with a small set of emotion words. It is not the same かぎり as "as long as" (限り).

Formal speeches, letters, thank-you messages, and polite written comments. In casual speech people say 本当に嬉しい or 嬉しくてたまらない instead.

Formation

V = verb, N = noun, A = adjective.

  • い-adjective + かぎりだ (嬉しい・寂しい・羨ましい・心強い・悔しい)
  • な-adjective + な + かぎりだ (残念なかぎりだ)
  • Noun + の + かぎりだ (光栄のかぎりです)

Visual diagram

Intensity of "I am happy"

  1. 嬉しい

    plain statement

  2. とても嬉しい

    strong, everyday

  3. 嬉しくてたまらない

    cannot contain the feeling (spoken)

  4. 嬉しいかぎりだ

    utmost feeling, formal and dignified

Natural examples

  1. 長年の夢がかなって、嬉しいかぎりだ。

    ながねんのゆめがかなって、うれしいかぎりだ。

    My long-held dream has come true; I could not be happier.

    The speaker's own joy about a fulfilled dream.

  2. 親友が遠くへ引っ越してしまい、寂しいかぎりです。

    しんゆうがとおくへひっこししてしまい、さびしいかぎりです。

    My best friend moved far away, and I feel terribly lonely.

    Loneliness after a friend's move; ですます form for a letter.

  3. こんな大役を任せていただき、光栄のかぎりです。

    こんなたいやくをまかせていただき、こうえいのかぎりです。

    I am deeply honored to be entrusted with such an important role.

    光栄のかぎり: noun + の, the standard phrase for accepting an honour.

  4. 皆様に温かく迎えていただき、心強いかぎりです。

    みなさまにあたたかくむかえていただき、こころづよいかぎりです。

    Being so warmly welcomed by you all, I feel greatly reassured.

    心強い is one of the most frequent partners.

  5. あと一点で合格だったとは、悔しいかぎりだ。

    あといってんでごうかくだったとは、くやしいかぎりだ。

    To think I missed passing by one point: I could not be more frustrated.

    Negative feelings work too, as long as they are the speaker's own.

Similar grammar and the difference

Common mistakes

  • ✗
    彼は嬉しいかぎりだ。
    ✓
    彼は嬉しそうだ / 嬉しくてたまらないようだ。
    Why
    かぎりだ expresses only the speaker's own emotion; for a third person use そうだ / ようだ.
  • ✗
    この料理は美味しいかぎりだ。
    ✓
    この料理は本当に美味しい。
    Why
    かぎりだ takes emotion adjectives, not descriptive ones like 美味しい or 大きい.
  • ✗
    光栄かぎりです。
    ✓
    光栄のかぎりです。
    Why
    光栄 is a noun / な-adjective, so の (or な) is required before かぎり.

Frequent partners: 嬉しい, 寂しい, 羨ましい, 心強い, 悔しい, 恥ずかしい, 残念な, 光栄の. Because it is the speaker's own feeling, the subject is normally omitted. Fits acceptance speeches and thank-you letters; too formal for texting friends.

JLPT N1 tips

On the exam

  • If the blank follows an emotion adjective and the sentence is a formal comment by the speaker, かぎりだ is the answer.
  • Distractors include 極まりない (which takes negative na-adjectives such as 失礼), ばかりだ ("only getting more"), and 限りは ("as long as").
  • A third-person subject rules out かぎりだ; look for そうだ / ようだ instead.

Frequently asked questions

What does 〜かぎりだ mean?

extremely …; could not be more … (the speaker's own feeling). Emotion adjective + かぎりだ says the speaker feels that emotion to the utmost: 嬉しいかぎりだ "I could not be happier". It is only used for the speaker's own present feeling and only with a small set of emotion words. It is not the same かぎり as "as long as" (限り).

How do you form 〜かぎりだ?

い-adjective + かぎりだ (嬉しい・寂しい・羨ましい・心強い・悔しい) / な-adjective + な + かぎりだ (残念なかぎりだ) / Noun + の + かぎりだ (光栄のかぎりです). V = verb, N = noun, A = adjective.

When is 〜かぎりだ used?

Formal speeches, letters, thank-you messages, and polite written comments. In casual speech people say 本当に嬉しい or 嬉しくてたまらない instead.

What is the difference between 〜かぎりだ and 〜の至り / 〜の極み?

Nouns like 光栄の至り, 感激の極み: the same utmost feeling, but they attach to nouns only.

What is the difference between 〜かぎりだ and 〜てたまらない / 〜てならない?

Spoken-style "cannot bear"; usable with a wider range of feelings and sensations.

What is a common mistake with 〜かぎりだ?

Wrong: 彼は嬉しいかぎりだ。 Right: 彼は嬉しそうだ / 嬉しくてたまらないようだ。 かぎりだ expresses only the speaker's own emotion; for a third person use そうだ / ようだ.

Quick check

1 / 5Multiple choiceDifficulty 4 of 5

長年の目標だった資格が取れて、嬉しい（　　）。