最さい後ご

noun

end; conclusion

Refers to the end point or concluding part of an event, story, period, list, or process. Common in phrases such as 最後まで and 最後に.

• 物もの語がたりの最さい後ごで、主しゅ人じん公こうは故こ郷きょうに戻もどる。

  At the end of the story, the main character returns to his hometown.

• 最さい後ごまで諦あきらめないでください。

  Please don't give up until the end.

noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'

last; final; most recent

Used before の to describe the last or final item in an ordered set. It can sometimes correspond to English 'latest' or 'most recent' when the item is simply the last one so far, but 最新 is clearer when no sense of 'last/final' is intended.

• 最さい後ごの質しつ問もんに答こたえてから、会かい議ぎは終おわった。

  After answering the final question, the meeting ended.

• 彼かれの最さい後ごの発はつ言げんが一いち番ばん印いん象しょうに残のこった。

  His last remark left the strongest impression on me.

expression

once ... happens, that is it; no sooner than; right after, with consequences

Fixed pattern after a verb in the たら form or after a た form plus が: 〜たら最後／〜たが最後. It means that once something happens, an unavoidable or often undesirable result follows.

• そのボタンを押おしたが最さい後ご、データは全ぜん部ぶ消きえてしまう。

  Once you press that button, all the data will be deleted.

• 彼かれに秘ひ密みつを話はなしたら最さい後ご、みんなに広ひろまってしまう。

  Once you tell him a secret, it will spread to everyone.

noun

one's final moments

Archaic noun use for a person's final moments, now normally written and understood as 最期. In modern Japanese, 最後 usually means 'the end' or 'last,' not specifically the moment of death.

See also: 最期

• 古ふるい文ぶん章しょうでは、「最さい後ご」が人ひとの死しに際ぎわを指さすことがある。

  In old writing, 最後 can refer to a person's final moments.