遂に
Finally, At last
Structure
Explanation
Similar to とうとう, the adverb 遂に conveys the meaning of 'finally' or 'at last'. It is most often placed at the beginning of a sentence.
- 遂に新しいゲームが発売された！！！Finally, the new game has been released!!!
- 遂に試験に合格した！I finally passed the exam!
遂に is commonly written with its kanji or in hiragana alone. In comparison with 到頭, ついに carries a slightly more formal nuance.
- 遂に旅行も最後の日ですね。色々とお世話になりました。At last, it's the final day of our trip. Thank you for taking such good care of me.
- とうとう旅行も今日で終わりだね。色々ありがとう。So it's finally the last day of the trip. Thanks for everything.
Caution
The kanji 遂 carries the nuance of 'accomplishing' or 'completing' something. Because of this, ついに is used to mark the conclusion of an event that took a considerable amount of time or effort to reach. It is not used for simple actions that happen without any prolonged build-up.
- 遂にマラソンを完走したぞ！やった！I finally finished the marathon! Yes! (Natural)
- 今朝のパンを遂に食べた。I finally ate the toast I made this morning. (Unnatural)
Examples
遂にあの強いボスを倒した！
I finally defeated that tough boss!
何回も試験に落ちたが、遂に免許が取れた。
I failed the test many times, but I finally got my license.
遂に彼のご両親に会う日が来た。
The day to meet his parents has finally come.
長い工事を経て、新しい駅が遂に完成した。
After a long construction period, the new station has finally been completed.
寒い冬が終わり、遂に桜が咲き始めた。
The cold winter has ended, and the cherry blossoms have finally started to bloom.
遂に部長に昇進することができた。
I was finally able to get promoted to department manager.
探し続けていた限定版のフィギュアを遂に手に入れた。
I finally got my hands on the limited edition figure I had been searching for.
１０年使ったパソコンが、遂に壊れてしまった。
The computer I've used for 10 years finally broke down.
子どもの頃から夢に見ていたパリに、遂に来られた。
I finally made it to Paris, a place I've dreamed of since I was a child.
何度も説明を聞いて、遂にその理論が理解できた。
After hearing the explanation over and over, I finally understood the theory.
遂にフルマラソンを走り切ることができた。
I was finally able to run a full marathon.
長い間謎だった事件の真相が、遂に明らかになった。
The truth of the case, which had been a mystery for a long time, was finally revealed.