飽くまでも
To the (bitter) end, Stubbornly, Persistently
Structure
Explanation
飽く is the classical, literary counterpart to the modern る-Verb 飽きる, meaning 'to get tired of (A)' or 'to have enough of (A)'. When combined with the adverbial particles まで ('until') and も ('even'), the phrase 飽くまでも carries the strong nuance of doing something 'insistently', 'adamantly', or 'to the very end'. This makes sense, as its literal meaning is 'to continue (A) even until the point of getting sick of it'.
飽くまでも is frequently positioned at the start of a sentence to establish the persistent or stubborn nature of the action that follows.
- 会社の担当者はあくまでも製品の安全性を主張しました。The company representative insistently maintained the product's safety.
- 私はあくまでも自分の夢を追いかけるつもりです。I intend to chase my dream to the very end.
- 彼はあくまでもその提案に反対するつもりでしたが、同僚たちの疲れた顔を見て、ついに賛成してしまいました。He had intended to oppose that proposal to the bitter end, but after seeing his colleagues' tired faces, he finally agreed.
The particle も is not essential, and you may encounter 飽くまで on its own. However, because this expression conveys such a strong feeling, も is usually included to further stress the point.
- 私を信じてください！あくまで自分の無実を訴え続けます！Please believe me! I will continue to proclaim my innocence to the very end!
Because of the persistent quality that 飽く itself emphasizes, it pairs naturally with expressions of strong will, such as つもり ('intention'), to show that a person is determined to do something regardless of difficulty.
Although 飽くまで is a fusion of 飽く and まで, in modern Japanese it is treated as a single adverb and is listed this way in most dictionaries.
Examples
これはあくまでも提案ですから、従う必要はありません。
This is merely a suggestion, so you don't have to follow it.
彼は圧倒的な証拠にもかかわらず、あくまでも自分の無実を主張し続けた。
Despite the overwhelming evidence, he resolutely continued to insist on his innocence.
飽くまでも一人で行くと言うのなら、せめてこれを持っていきなさい。
If you insist on going alone, at least take this with you.
このレポートの結論は、あくまでも仮説に過ぎません。
The conclusion of this report is, in the end, nothing more than a hypothesis.
会社は飽くまでも強気な姿勢を崩さず、交渉は決裂した。
The company adamantly maintained its aggressive stance, and the negotiations broke down.
これはあくまでも私の個人的な意見ですが、その計画は無謀だと思います。
This is strictly my personal opinion, but I think that plan is reckless.
彼女は自分のミスをあくまでも認めず、謝ろうとしなかった。
She stubbornly refused to admit her mistake and wouldn't apologize.
プロの選手として、あくまでも勝利にこだわって戦い抜きます。
As a professional athlete, I will persistently fight for victory until the very end.
皆が彼を疑う中、私だけはあくまでも友人を信じ続けた。
While everyone else doubted him, I alone steadfastly continued to believe in my friend.
私はあくまでも補佐役ですので、最終的な決定は部長がします。
I am just an assistant, so the department manager will make the final decision.
この数値はあくまでも目安であり、必ずしも正確ではありません。
This figure is only a rough guide and is not necessarily exact.
親子の会話：「何度失敗しても、彼はあくまでもできるまで練習をやめなかった。」
Parent-child conversation: 'No matter how many times he failed, he persistently refused to stop practicing until he could do it.'