Japanese from zero · N1 Lesson 56
The wedding
〜の至り/〜の極み ・ 〜限りだ ・ 〜ことこの上ない/この上ない ・ 〜てやまない
In this lesson, you will learn to say something is the greatest honor, or moves you beyond words, with 〜の至り and 〜の極み, to say you feel something as deeply as can be with 〜限りだ, to say nothing could be greater with この上ない and 〜ことこの上ない, and to wish for something with all your heart with 〜てやまない. It is a Saturday in early April, and Tanaka and Sakura's wedding reception has begun in Tokyo as the last of the cherry blossoms fall.
By the end you will be able to say
お招き いただき、光栄の至りです。Thank you for inviting me. It is the greatest honor.
お二人の 晴れ姿を 拝見して、うれしい 限りです。Seeing the two of you on your big day makes me so very happy.
お二人と 友達に なった ことは、この上ない 喜びです。Becoming friends with you two is the greatest joy.
お二人の 末永い お幸せを 願って やみません。I wish you both lasting happiness with all my heart.
皆様に 祝って いただき、感激の極みです。Being celebrated by all of you, I am moved beyond words.
The grammar in this lesson
- 〜の至り / 〜の極み — the greatest (honor); moved beyond words — A formal noun + の至り or の極み says a feeling has reached its very height: 光栄の至り, 感激の極み.
- 〜限りだ — I feel so very ... — An adjective of feeling + 限りだ says the speaker feels it as strongly as can be: うれしい 限りです.
- この上ない / 〜ことこの上ない — the greatest; as ... as can be — この上ない + a noun means 'the greatest'; an adjective + ことこの上ない means 'as ... as can be'.
- 〜てやまない — wish with all one's heart; never stop hoping — A verb of wishing or feeling in the て-form + やまない says the speaker wishes or hopes something with all their heart, and goes on doing so.