JLPT N1 grammar
〜の至り — Meaning & Examples
"The utmost..." — humble, ceremonial, mostly set phrases. 光栄の至り = the greatest honour; 若気の至り = folly of youth.
〜の至り — "The Utmost..." (Humble & Formal)
の至り（のいたり）also means "the utmost of," but lives almost exclusively in FORMAL SPEECH — acceptance speeches, ceremonies, apologies.
Pattern: [noun] + の至り
このような賞をいただき、光栄の至りです。
= Receiving such an award is the greatest honour.
皆様にお会いできて、感激の至りです。
= Meeting you all, I am deeply moved.
お恥ずかしい話ですが、若気の至りでした。
= Embarrassing to admit, but it was the folly of youth.
The two you MUST know:
・光栄の至り = the greatest honour（award speeches）
・若気の至り = youthful indiscretion（looking back with a wince）
の極み vs の至り:
・の極み = objective peak of a state (luxury, regret, exhaustion)
・の至り = the speaker's own overflowing feeling, humbly expressed — mostly fixed phrases
Key feeling: Bowing slightly as you speak. If you ever accept an award in Japanese, 光栄の至りです is your line. 🏆
Practice questions
Try these 3 questions on 〜の至り. Pick an answer in your head, then open “Show answer”.
1. Which set phrase means "the folly of youth"?
- 光栄の至り (kouei no itari)
- 痛恨の極み (tsuukon no kiwami)
- 贅沢の極み (zeitaku no kiwami)
- 若気の至り (wakage no itari)
Show answer
Answer: 若気の至り (wakage no itari)
若気の至り（わかげのいたり）= youthful indiscretion — looking back with a wince.
2. Accepting an award formally, you would say...
- 退屈といったらない (taikutsu to ittara nai)
- 光栄の至りです (kouei no itari desu)
- 危険極まりない (kiken kiwamarinai)
- 若気の至りです (wakage no itari desu)
Show answer
Answer: 光栄の至りです (kouei no itari desu)
光栄の至りです = "it is the greatest honour" — the classic award-speech phrase.
3. 「毎日同じ作業ばかりで、退屈___。」 (unbelievably boring)
- の至り (no itari)
- ずにはおかない (zu ni wa okanai)
- 極まる (kiwamaru)
- といったらない (to ittara nai)
Show answer
Answer: といったらない (to ittara nai)
といったらない = indescribably / you wouldn't believe how. 退屈といったらない = unbelievably boring.
Practise 〜の至り in the free app
This point is part of the “Extreme Degree — 極まりない・の極み・の至り・といったらない” lesson in A Star Japanese. Study it with examples, a quiz, flashcards and timed JLPT N1 mock exams. Free on iPhone and Android.
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Related N1 grammar points
From the same lesson: Extreme Degree — 極まりない・の極み・の至り・といったらない
Frequently asked questions
What does 〜の至り mean?
"The utmost..." — humble, ceremonial, mostly set phrases. 光栄の至り = the greatest honour; 若気の至り = folly of youth.
Is 〜の至り on the JLPT N1 test?
〜の至り is taught in the JLPT N1 grammar course in A Star Japanese (lesson “Extreme Degree — 極まりない・の極み・の至り・といったらない”), so it is a pattern learners at this level are expected to recognise. The JLPT does not publish an official grammar list, so treat this as a study guide rather than an official requirement.
How can I practise 〜の至り?
Open the “Extreme Degree — 極まりない・の極み・の至り・といったらない” lesson in the free A Star Japanese app for iPhone and Android. It has examples, a quiz after every lesson, flashcards with spaced repetition and timed JLPT N1 mock exams, with no ads.