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～te Made: Even At the Cost Of

Learn te made for "even at the cost of" — emphasizing extreme sacrifice for a goal. This lesson combines form, context, examples, common mistakes, and practice so you can use the pattern in real communication.

12 minNihongo Hub Editorial TeamPublished 2026-06-06Updated 2026-06-06

Learning objectives

  • Lesson goals: Learn te made for "even at the cost of" — emphasizing extreme sacrifice for a goal.
  • Form and connection: [Verb te-form] まで
  • Nuance in real use: てまで in Japanese context touches the concept of 覚悟 (resolve) — when you're willing to do something at any cost, it ceases to be an ordinary action and becomes a declaration of spirit.

Form and connection

[Verb te-form] まで

Core Explanation

Learn te made for "even at the cost of" — emphasizing extreme sacrifice for a goal.

Cultural Note

てまで in Japanese context touches the concept of 覚悟 (resolve) — when you're willing to do something at any cost, it ceases to be an ordinary action and becomes a declaration of spirit.

Practical examples

There is something I want to protect even at the cost of my life.
You don't need to help others at the cost of yourself.
He prioritized work even at the cost of making his family unhappy.

Common pitfalls

Build the base form before adding the pattern

Complete the required conjugation first. Do not keep polite and plain endings at the same time.

Match politeness to the situation

The examples are reliable starting points; relationships and context can still change the most natural wording.

Practice and answers

1. Write the connection formula for this lesson.
Show answer[Verb te-form] まで
2. Explain the meaning of the first example.
Show answerThere is something I want to protect even at the cost of my life.
3. Rewrite the final example using this lesson pattern.
Show answer彼かれは家族かぞくを不幸ふこうにしてまで仕事しごとを優先ゆうせんした。 ([Verb te-form] まで)

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