あくまで

あ

く

ま

で

JLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

1

adverb

to the end; persistently; stubbornly

usually written using kana alone

Used when someone does something all the way, without giving up, or insists on something strongly. Often implies determination or stubbornness.

彼かれはあくまで自じ分ぶんの意い見けんを主しゅ張ちょうした。

He stubbornly insisted on his own opinion.

あくまで戦たたかい抜ぬく覚かく悟ごだ。

I'm prepared to fight to the bitter end.

2

adverb

after all; simply; purely

usually written using kana alone

Used to emphasize that something is just as stated, without exaggeration or hidden meaning. Often softens a statement or clarifies a point.

あくまで個こ人じん的てきな意い見けんですが、この計けい画かくは難むずかしいと思おもいます。
This is just my personal opinion, but I think this plan is difficult.
あくまで参さん考こうとして聞きいてください。
Please take it purely as a reference.

Usage patterns

あくまで〈事こと〉にすぎないit is merely 〈事〉, nothing more
これはあくまで個こ人じん的てきな意い見けんにすぎない。
This is merely my personal opinion, nothing more.
あくまで〈動どう詞し〉つもりだto intend to do something to the end / persistently
彼かれはあくまで反はん対たいするつもりだ。
He intends to keep opposing it to the end.
あくまで〈事こと〉であって、〈事こと〉ではないit is strictly X, not Y
これはあくまで参さん考こうであって、正せい式しきな決けっ定ていではない。
This is strictly a reference, not an official decision.
あくまで〈事こと〉を主しゅ張ちょうするto insist stubbornly on 〈事〉
彼かの女じょはあくまで自じ分ぶんの正ただしさを主しゅ張ちょうした。
She stubbornly insisted that she was right.

Kanji

飽sated, tired of, bored
迄until, up to, as far as

Related words

あくまでも
あくまでも is a slightly more emphatic version of あくまで, used interchangeably but with stronger insistence.
とことん sense 1
とことん is a colloquial way to say 'thoroughly, all the way' (as in とことんやる), while あくまで can add a stubborn or insistent nuance.
断だん固ことして sense 1
断固として stresses firm, resolute action or refusal, similar to the stubborn-persistence sense of あくまで but more formal and forceful.
単たんにN3sense 2
単に means 'merely, simply' like the clarifying sense of あくまで, but lacks the nuance of firmly stating a limit or fact.

Word family

あくまでも
to the end; persistently; stubbornly; consistently · after all; simply; purely; only

Written forms

あくまでUsage99%
Standard kana spelling; the word is usually written in kana.
飽あくまでUsage1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji form; learners should use the kana spelling.
飽あく迄までUsage<1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji form with ateji; learners should use the kana spelling.

Etymology

Derived from the verb 飽く (aku, 'to tire of') + まで (made, 'until'), literally 'until one tires of it', implying doing something to the very end. The kanji forms are rarely used in modern Japanese.