果はて

は

て

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

1

Refers to the farthest point or boundary of something physical or abstract; often used in phrases like 果てしない (endless) or 世界の果て (the ends of the earth).

この道みちの果はてに

何なに

が

ある

の

だろう

。

I wonder what lies at the end of this road.

宇う宙ちゅうの果はてはまだ誰だれも見みたことがない。

No one has yet seen the edge of the universe.

2

noun

result; outcome; consequence

Used for the final result or outcome of a process, often with a nuance of reaching the end of a long or difficult situation; common in expressions like 果ての果て (in the end, after all).

長ながい議ぎ論ろんの果はてに、ようやく結けつ論ろんが出でた。
After a long discussion, we finally reached a conclusion.
苦く労ろうの果はてに成せい功こうを手てにした。
After much hardship, he achieved success.

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉の果はてにat the end of (a long or difficult process of) ~
長ながい議ぎ論ろんの果はてに、ようやく結けつ論ろんが出でた。
After a long debate, a conclusion was finally reached.
〈場ば所しょ〉の果はてまでall the way to the far end of a place
彼かれは荒こう野やの果はてまで歩あるき続つづけた。
He kept walking all the way to the far end of the wilderness.

Expressions· 10

果はてはin the end; finally; on top of that
成なれの果はてmere shadow of one's former self; ruin of what one once was
挙あげ句くの果はてfinally; in the end; after all that; on top of all that
地ちの果はてend of the earth; remote place
疲つかれ果はてbeing tired out; exhausted

Show 5 more

雪ゆきの果はてlast snows; snow remaining after the anniversary of Buddha's death
世せ界かいの果はてend of the world; farthest corner of the earth
果はてしがないendless; boundless; infinite
果はてしのないendless; interminable; boundless

Kanji

果fruit, reward, carry out
涯horizon, shore, limit

Related words

終おわりN5sense 1
終わり is the plain, everyday word for the end of something, while 果て carries a more dramatic or literary sense of reaching the farthest extreme.
結けっ果かN3sense 2
結果 is a neutral, common word for the result of something, whereas 果て in this sense implies an outcome reached only after a long or trying process.
末まつ路ろ sense 2
末路 specifically means a tragic or ruinous final state, while 果て is broader and can describe any ultimate limit or outcome, good or bad.
極きわみ sense 1
極み emphasizes an extreme degree (as in 悲しみの極み), while 果て emphasizes the farthest physical or temporal point of something.

Opposites

始はじまりN3sense 1
始まり means the beginning of something, the direct opposite of 果て, which marks its farthest end.

Don't confuse with

端はしN2sense 1
端 refers to a physical edge or tip in a plain, concrete sense, while 果て suggests a far-off, often figurative or dramatic extremity.

Word family

果はてしないN1
endless; boundless; everlasting
果はてるN1
end; be finished; be exhausted · die; perish · do completely; do to the extreme
最さい果はて
the farthest ends; the furthest reaches

Written forms

果はてUsage72%
Standard kanji spelling; high-frequency news and common usage.
はてUsage17%
涯はてUsage7%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; may appear in literary or older texts.
果はてUsage4%

Etymology

Derived from the verb 果てる (はてる, 'to end, to die'), which itself comes from classical Japanese. The noun form 果て has been used since Old Japanese to mean the extreme end or final outcome.

愛あい想そも小こ想そも尽つき果はてる

be completely disgusted with; be absolutely fed up with; run out of patience with

果はてし

end; limit; bounds

見み果はてぬ

unfinished; unfulfilled; impossible to see through

見み下さげ果はてた

contemptible; despicable

search-only kanji form

Search-only kanji form; not a standard standalone spelling for this word.

涯はてUsage<1%

search-only kanji form

Search-only kanji form; not a standard standalone spelling for this word.