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Lesson 60 of 171

〜に至るまで

ni itaru made

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Meaning

right down to …; everything up to and including …

〜に至るまで says "all the way down to X". You name the most extreme or most trivial item in a range, and the listener understands that everything before it is included too. It often pairs with から: 「AからBに至るまで」 = "from A right down to B".

Mainly written or formal spoken Japanese (reports, reviews, speeches). It is chosen when the speaker wants to stress how thorough or how far-reaching something is: 隅々に至るまで (every corner), 細部に至るまで (every detail). In casual talk people simply say AからBまで.

Formation

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

  • N + に至るまで
  • N + から + N + に至るまで
  • Often with 隅々・細部・一つ一つ (the smallest unit of the range)

Visual diagram

  1. Step 1服装から髪型までfrom clothes to hairstyle (neutral range)
  2. Step 2服装から髪型に至るまでfrom clothes right down to hairstyle (every single thing, the range is stressed)
  3. Step 3細部に至るまでdown to the finest detail (no starting point needed)

Natural examples

  1. 彼は服装から髪型に至るまで、すべて母親が決めている。

    かれはふくそうからかみがたにいたるまで、すべてははおやがきめている。

    From his clothes to his hairstyle, his mother decides everything.

    AからBに至るまで: the end point (hairstyle) is a small thing, which shows that nothing is left out.

  2. 警察は部屋の隅々に至るまで、徹底的に調べた。

    けいさつはへやのすみずみにいたるまで、てっていてきにしらべた。

    The police searched thoroughly, down to every corner of the room.

    隅々に至るまで is a set collocation: "down to every corner".

  3. この店では食材から食器に至るまで、地元のものを使っている。

    このみせではしょくざいからしょっきにいたるまで、じもとのものをつかっている。

    This restaurant uses local products for everything, from ingredients to tableware.

    The range runs from the obvious item (ingredients) to the surprising one (tableware).

  4. この辞典は専門用語から俗語に至るまで、幅広く収録している。

    このじてんはせんもんようごからぞくごにいたるまで、はばひろくしゅうろくしている。

    This dictionary covers everything from technical terms right down to slang.

    Typical review sentence; the writer is praising the thoroughness.

  5. 祖母は料理の味付けは言うまでもなく、盛り付けに至るまで手を抜かなかった。

    そぼはりょうりのあじつけはいうまでもなく、もりつけにいたるまでてをぬかなかった。

    My grandmother never cut corners, not just with the seasoning but even down to how the food was arranged.

    Can follow 〜は言うまでもなく instead of から.

Similar grammar and the difference

Common mistakes

  • ✗
    部屋の隅々まで至って調べた。
    ✓
    部屋の隅々に至るまで調べた。
    Why
    The pattern is fixed as に至るまで; 至る cannot be split off as a separate verb here.
  • ✗
    朝から晩に至るまで、寝ていた。
    ✓
    朝から晩まで寝ていた。
    Why
    に至るまで stresses that every member of a range is covered. A simple time span with one continuous action just uses まで.
  • ✗
    子供に至るまで大人が参加した。
    ✓
    大人から子供に至るまで参加した。
    Why
    The item before に至るまで must be the far end of the range; put the starting point with から first.

The noun before に至るまで is usually the least expected or smallest item, which is what makes the sentence feel thorough. It is common in praise (細部に至るまで丁寧だ) and in descriptions of control (服装に至るまで決められている). In speech it sounds formal; a newsreader or a reviewer would use it, friends chatting would say 〜まで全部.

JLPT N1 tips

On the exam

  • Look for から earlier in the sentence and a small or surprising item in the blank: that combination points to に至るまで.
  • Distractors are usually に至って, にかけて and をはじめ. If the sentence lists a range and stresses completeness, choose に至るまで.
  • In 並べ替え, keep から + N and N + に至るまで as two chunks, then place the verb phrase after them.

Frequently asked questions

What does 〜に至るまで mean?

right down to …; everything up to and including …. 〜に至るまで says "all the way down to X". You name the most extreme or most trivial item in a range, and the listener understands that everything before it is included too. It often pairs with から: 「AからBに至るまで」 = "from A right down to B".

How do you form 〜に至るまで?

N + に至るまで / N + から + N + に至るまで / Often with 隅々・細部・一つ一つ (the smallest unit of the range). V = verb, N = noun, A = adjective.

When is 〜に至るまで used?

Mainly written or formal spoken Japanese (reports, reviews, speeches). It is chosen when the speaker wants to stress how thorough or how far-reaching something is: 隅々に至るまで (every corner), 細部に至るまで (every detail). In casual talk people simply say AからBまで.

What is the difference between 〜に至るまで and 〜に至る / 〜に至って(は)?

Same verb 至る, but these mark reaching a point or stage ("went as far as…"), not the extent of a range.

What is the difference between 〜に至るまで and 〜から〜にかけて?

A vague span of time or place ("from around A to around B"); no feeling of "every single item".

What is a common mistake with 〜に至るまで?

Wrong: 部屋の隅々まで至って調べた。 Right: 部屋の隅々に至るまで調べた。 The pattern is fixed as に至るまで; 至る cannot be split off as a separate verb here.

Quick check

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