挙あげ句く

あ

げ

く

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

Used after a plain past verb or with の to indicate that after a long process or series of events, something (often negative) resulted. Also used as あげくに.

さんざん迷まよったあげく、何なにも買かわずに帰かえった。
After a lot of indecision, I ended up going home without buying anything.
長ちょう時じ間かんの議ぎ論ろんのあげく、結けっ局きょく何なにも決きまらなかった。
After a long discussion, in the end nothing was decided.

noun

last line of a renga

Technical term in renga (linked verse) poetry; the final 7-7 syllable couplet. Contrasts with 発句 (the opening stanza).

Usage patterns

〈動詞どうし〉〉た挙句あげくafter (doing something) for a long time, in the end...
いろいろ悩なやんだ挙あげ句く、結けっ局きょくその仕し事ごとを辞やめることにした。
After agonizing over it for a long time, I ended up deciding to quit that job.
〈事こと〉〉の挙句あげくafter all that (trouble/process), in the end...
長ながい議ぎ論ろんの挙あげ句く、何なにも決きまらなかった。
After a long discussion, nothing was decided in the end.

Expressions

挙あげ句くの果はてfinally; in the end; after all that; on top of all that

Grammar

あげく（に）after all that, a bad endN2

Kanji

挙raise, plan, project
句phrase, clause, sentence
揚raise, elevate, hoist

Related words

結けっ局きょくN3sense 1
結局 is a general, neutral way to say 'in the end', while 挙句 specifically implies a long or troublesome process leading to that (often negative) result.
末すえN3sense 1
末 (as in 〜た末に) can describe the outcome of a long process much like 挙句, but 末 is more neutral and doesn't carry 挙句's typical implication of a bad or wasted effort.
等とう々とう sense 1
とうとう is a plain, everyday adverb for 'finally', whereas 挙句 is more literary and specifically frames the result as the end of a lengthy or troubled process.
末すえに
あげく usually implies the long process led to a bad or disappointing result, while 末に is neutral and can describe good or bad outcomes.
挙あげ句くの果はてN1
挙句の果て is a stronger, more emphatic version of 挙句, typically used when the final result is negative or exasperating, while 挙句 is the plainer form simply meaning 'in the end'.

Opposites

発ほっ句く sense 2
発句 is the opening stanza of a renga sequence, while 挙句 is the closing stanza, making them structural opposites in linked-verse poetry.

Written forms

挙あげ句く
Standard kanji spelling; the most common written form.
揚あげ句く
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; 揚げ is an alternative character for 挙げ.

Etymology

Originally from the renga term for the final stanza, literally 'the concluding phrase'. The adverbial sense developed from the idea of 'at the end of a sequence'.