ISORI

〜あげく(に)

JLPT N3:

after all that

"After all that X, in the end Y": a long, troublesome process ends in a result that is usually bad or disappointing.

How to form it

  • Verbs take the た-form: 迷(まよ)ったあげく(に).
  • Nouns take の: 口論(こうろん)のあげく (after an argument).
  • あげくの果(は)てに is stronger: "and to top it all".

Examples

さんざん迷(まよ)ったあげく、行(い)かないことにした。

After going back and forth for ages, I decided not to go.

言(い)い争(あらそ)いのあげく、二人(ふたり)は別(わか)れた。

After all the fighting, the two of them split up.

Common mistakes

  • Using it for a happy ending. For that, use 末(すえ)に: 努力(どりょく)した末(すえ)に合格(ごうかく)した.

Similar meaning