connective N2 common written
〜た末・〜の末 — after (much) ~
〜た末・〜の末 ・ たすえ
Builds on た形
Meaning
- after (much) ~ / in the end, after ~ing / as the final result of ~ — a drawn-out process of effort or struggle leads to a final outcome
Key sentence
長く考えた末に、留学を決めた。
After much thought, I decided to study abroad.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb (た-form) or Noun + の | V-た + 末(に) / Nの + 末(に) | 話し合った末 / 議論の末 |
When: Written/formal. The first part implies sustained, often painstaking effort or deliberation.
Examples
苦労した末に、ようやく成功をつかんだ。
After many hardships, he finally grasped success.
激しい議論の末、結論が出た。
After fierce debate, a conclusion was reached.
When you can't use it
- The process must be extended and effortful — a single quick action doesn't fit. The result clause is usually a considered decision or hard-won outcome, not a trivial one.
Easily confused with
Notes
- A negative or regrettable outcome often takes the variant 〜あげく ('after all that, ... ended up badly'); 末 itself is neutral about whether the result is good or bad.
See 〜た末・〜の末 in real sentences
Jengo shows 〜た末・〜の末 the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled from published Japanese grammar references.