JLPT N1Writing and careful speechMeasured

ないまでもeven if not quite

"Even if not A, then at least B." You give up the high mark and name a lower one on the same scale: what still holds, or what you are asking for.

毎まい日にちとは言いわないまでも、週しゅうに三さん回かいは運うん動どうしたい。

I won't say every day, but I'd like to exercise at least three times a week.

病びょう気きは完かん治ちしないまでも、日にち常じょう生せい活かつに支し障しょうがない程てい度どまで回かい復ふくした。

The illness has not been completely cured, but recovery has gone far enough that daily life is no longer affected.

How to form it

Verb in the ない-form + までも

完かん治ちしない → 完かん治ちしないまでも. A noun or a な-adjective takes ではない: 完かん璧ぺきではないまでも.

The common frame

A + とは言いわないまでも

"I won't go so far as to say A." Any word can stand before とは: 毎まい日にち, 一いち流りゅう. Also とは言いえないまでも, "I can't quite say".

Before it: The high mark you are giving up: 毎まい日にち, 完かん璧ぺき (perfect), 全ぜん員いん (everyone), 完かん全ぜんに.
After it: The lower mark, often with せめて or 少すくなくとも (at least) or a は: 週しゅうに三さん回かいは. It ends in a fact, a wish or a request.
Where you'll meet it: Essays, reviews, proposals, careful speech. To a friend it's 毎まい日にちじゃなくてもいいから、….

In use

完かん璧ぺきではないまでも、十じゅう分ぶんに満まん足ぞくできる出で来きだ。

It isn't perfect, but it has come out well enough to be satisfied with.

売うり上あげが前ぜん年ねんを上うわ回まわらないまでも、同おなじ水すい準じゅんは維い持じしたい。

Even if sales don't beat last year's, we want to hold them at the same level.

内ない容ようを完かん全ぜんに理り解かいできないまでも、せめて重じゅう要ような用よう語ごは確かく認にんしておいてください。

Even if you can't follow all of it, please at least go over the key terms beforehand.

一いち流りゅうとは言いわないまでも、専せん門もん家かに見みせても恥はずかしくない仕し上あがりだ。

I wouldn't call it first-rate, but it is finished well enough to show a professional without embarrassment.

Two marks on one scale

A is the high mark and comes first. B is lower on the same scale: every day and three times a week, perfect and good enough. Where there is no scale, "even if not" is plain なくても.

Not said: お金かねがないまでも、幸しあわせに暮くらせる。

(You can live happily even without money.)

お金かねがなくても、幸しあわせに暮くらせる.

Close neighbours

までもないN1

The same words the other way around, and a different meaning: there is no need to go that far.

この程てい度どの傷きずなら、病びょう院いんへ行いくまでもない。

For a wound this minor, there is no need to go to the hospital.

Check yourself

1Which sentence sounds natural?

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which one fits?

辞じ書しょが（　　）、この本ほんは読よめる。

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

高こう級きゅう品ひんとは言いわないまでも、長ながく使つかえるだけの品ひん質しつはある。

I wouldn't call it a luxury item, but it is well enough made to last.

問もん題だいを完かん全ぜんに解かい決けつできないまでも、悪あっ化かを防ふせぐ手て立だては講こうじるべきだ。

Even if the problem can't be solved completely, steps should be taken to stop it getting worse.

国こく際さい的てきな賞しょうを取とれないまでも、国こく内ないで評ひょう価かされる作さく品ひんにしたい。

Even if it can't win an international prize, I want to make it a work that is well regarded at home.

原げん因いんを特とく定ていできないまでも、可か能のう性せいの高たかい要よう因いんは絞しぼり込こめた。

The cause could not be pinned down, but the likely factors were narrowed down.