“kagirinaku・saigen naku”: Infinitely (approaching) / Endlessly (no end) [JLPT N1]

Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026

Continuing without any limit

「限りなく透明に近い」／「際限なく続く議論」 — infinitely ‘approaching' vs endlessly ‘going on'

To say “infinitely ～,” 「成功の可能性は、限りなくゼロに近い」 (the chance of success is infinitely close to zero) — 「限りなく・際限なく」 both express “without limit,” yet differ in feel: 限りなく = infinitely (mostly in 「限りなく〜に近い」 = infinitely approaching, neutral); 際限なく = endlessly, without end (mostly negative). This guide covers the two's division of labor, positive/negative color, and separating them from 「とめどなく.」

Core: one ‘approaches a limit' (neutral), one ‘goes on endlessly' (negative)

Both express “without limit,” but differ in feel:

① 限りなく = infinitely, boundlessly (most common in 「限りなく〜に近い」 = infinitely approaching some limit, neutral even positive):

• 彼の技術は、限りなく完璧に近い (his skill is infinitely close to perfect).
• 助かる可能性は、限りなく低い (the chance of being saved is infinitely low).

② 際限なく = endlessly, without end (stressing “persisting／increasing without limit,” mostly negative, wearisome):

• 人間の欲望は、際限なく膨らんでいく (human desire swells endlessly).
• 際限なく続く残業に、心身ともに疲れ果てた (worn out in body and mind by endless overtime).

Feel: 「限りなく」 leans “approaching some limit” — most common with 「〜に近い」 (限りなく透明に近い, 限りなくゼロに近い), neutral even positive (approaching perfection); 「際限なく」 leans “persisting／increasing without limit” — often with a “endless, immoderate, wearisome” negative flavor (際限なく続く, 際限なく要求する). In English: 限りなく = “infinitely (approaching)”; 際限なく = “endlessly, without end.”

Attachment rules

Example sentences

• この絵は、本物に限りなく近い精巧さだ。(This painting is exquisite to the point of infinitely approaching the real thing.)
• 宇宙は限りなく広がっている。(The universe expands infinitely.)
• 甘やかすと、子供の要求は際限なくエスカレートする。(Indulge them, and a child's demands escalate endlessly.)
• 借金が際限なく膨らみ、返済不能に陥った。(The debt swelled endlessly and became unrepayable.)
• 話し合いは際限なく続き、結論が出なかった。(The discussion went on endlessly with no conclusion.)

⚠️ Easy traps to avoid

① 「限りなく」 leans ‘approaching a limit' (neutral/positive); 「際限なく」 leans ‘endless' (mostly negative). This is the two's core division of labor. 「限りなく」 = infinitely (most common with 「〜に近い,」 ‘infinitely approaching some limit,' neutral even positive): it stresses “getting closer and closer to some limit (without reaching it),” with an “approaching, nearing” flavor, neutral even positive: 限りなく透明に近い (infinitely close to transparent), 限りなく完璧に近い (infinitely close to perfect), 可能性は限りなくゼロに近い (the chance is infinitely close to zero). 「際限なく」 = endlessly, without end (‘persisting／increasing without limit,' mostly negative, wearisome): it stresses “persisting or increasing without limit, unable to stop,” often with a “endless, excessive, wearisome” negative flavor: 際限なく続く (goes on endlessly), 欲望が際限なく膨らむ (desire swells without limit), 際限なく残業させられる (made to work endless overtime). Test: to say “infinitely approaching some limit” (neutral/positive, often with 〜に近い) → 限りなく; to say “persisting／increasing endlessly, immoderately” (mostly negative) → 際限なく.

② Both are adverbs; 「限りなく」 often with 「〜に近い,」 「際限なく」 often with 「続く/増える.」 Get the attachment／pairing right. Both are adverbs, attaching to verbs／adjectives. 「限りなく」 most commonly pairs with 「〜に近い」 (限りなく〜に近い = infinitely approaching ～), and also 「低い・広がる」 (限りなく低い). 「際限なく」 often with 「続く・増える・膨らむ・要求する・エスカレートする」 — verbs of “persisting／increasing endlessly.” Mnemonic: 限りなく〜に近い (infinitely approaching); 際限なく続く／増える (endlessly).

③ The gap with 「とめどなく／限りない.」 「とめどなく」 = ceaselessly, in a flood (mostly for ‘flowing, welling' things, like tears, words): 涙がとめどなく流れる (tears flow ceaselessly), とめどなくしゃべる (talk on and on) — it leans “(liquid／words) flowing out in an unstoppable stream.” 「限りない」 = boundless, endless (an attributive／adjective, mostly positive): 限りない可能性 (boundless possibility), 限りない愛 (endless love) — it's an adjective (modifying a noun), mostly positive. Difference: 「限りなく」 (adverb, approaching a limit)／「際限なく」 (adverb, endless, negative)／「とめどなく」 (adverb, in a flood, for flowing things)／「限りない」 (adjective, boundless, mostly positive). Test: “infinitely approaching ～” → 限りなく; “endless (negative)” → 際限なく; “(tears/words) in a flood” → とめどなく; “boundless (a noun)” → 限りない.

🔄 Nuance & comparison: 限りなく／際限なく／とめどなく／限りない

💡 Learning tip

「限りなく・際限なく」 both express “without limit” — three points: ① a division of labor in feel — 「限りなく = infinitely (mostly with 「〜に近い」 = infinitely approaching some limit, neutral/positive)」; 「際限なく = endlessly, without end (persisting/increasing without limit, mostly negative)」; ② both are adverbs, 限りなく often with 「〜に近い,」 際限なく often with 「続く/増える」; ③ a division of labor with 「とめどなく (in a flood, flowing things)／限りない (boundless, adjective).」 These two, one character apart (限り／際限), differ greatly in feel — 「限りなく透明に近い」 is the neutral aesthetic of approaching a limit, 「際限なく続く」 is the negative weariness of endlessness. To say “infinitely approaching ～” use 限りなく; to say “endlessly, immoderately ～” use 際限なく — don't flip their positive/negative.

❓ Common questions

Q: Do 「限りなく」 and 「際限なく」 mean the same? Both ‘without limit'?

Both express ‘without limit,' but differ in feel and positive/negative, not interchangeable. 「限りなく」 = infinitely (leaning ‘approaching some limit,' neutral even positive): it's most common in 「限りなく〜に近い,」 expressing “infinitely approaching some limit (without reaching it),” stressing “approaching, nearing,” neutral even positive: 限りなく透明に近い (infinitely close to transparent — an aesthetic of approaching), 彼の演技は限りなく本物に近い (his acting is infinitely close to real — positive praise), 成功率は限りなく低い (the success rate is infinitely low — approaching zero, a neutral description). Its focus is “(getting closer and closer to) approaching some limit.” 「際限なく」 = endlessly, without end (leaning ‘persisting/increasing without limit,' mostly negative, wearisome): it expresses “persisting or increasing without limit, unable to stop,” often with a “endless, excessive, wearisome, out of control” negative flavor: 際限なく続く会議 (an endless meeting — wearisome), 欲望は際限なく膨らむ (desire swells immoderately — negative), 際限なく要求される (endlessly demanded of — unbearable). Its focus is “persisting/increasing without limit (wearisomely).” Difference: 「限りなく」 = infinitely ‘approaching' a limit (neutral/positive, with 〜に近い); 「際限なく」 = ‘persisting/increasing' endlessly (mostly negative, without end). Test: to say “infinitely approaching some limit (approaching)” → 限りなく (with 〜に近い); to say “persisting/increasing endlessly, immoderately” (with a wearisome/out-of-control negative) → 際限なく. The two, one character apart (限り vs 際限), go in different directions — one is “the neutral aesthetic of approaching a limit,” one is “the negative weariness of endlessness” — don't flip them.

Q: 「際限なく」 and 「とめどなく」 both mean ‘endless, ceaseless' — how do I tell them apart?

The difference is ‘what they attach to' and ‘positive/negative.' 「際限なく」 = endlessly, without end (mostly for ‘persisting/increasing' and mostly negative, wearisome): it stresses “persisting or increasing without limit, unable to stop,” its object mostly something that “wearisomely, out-of-controllingly increases/persists,” with a negative flavor: 際限なく続く (goes on endlessly — meetings, arguments), 際限なく増える (increases endlessly — debt, demands), 際限なくエスカレートする (escalates endlessly). It often implies “excessive, out of control, unbearable” negative. 「とめどなく」 = ceaselessly, in a flood (mostly for ‘flowing, welling' things, more neutral): it stresses “(like a stream) flowing/welling out ceaselessly, unstoppably,” its object mostly something that “flows, wells continuously” — especially tears, words, sweat, thoughts — more neutral (even emotive): 涙がとめどなく流れる (tears flow unstoppably), とめどなくしゃべり続ける (talk on and on), 汗がとめどなく噴き出す (sweat pours out ceaselessly). It leans “(flowing things) welling out in a stream,” more neutral. Difference: 「際限なく」 leans ‘persisting/increasing without limit' (mostly negative, e.g. arguments/debt/demands); 「とめどなく」 leans ‘(flowing things) welling out in a stream' (more neutral, e.g. tears/words/sweat). Test: to say “persisting/increasing endlessly” (mostly negative, wearisome) → 際限なく; to say “(tears, words, etc.) welling out ceaselessly, unstoppably” → とめどなく. E.g. 「クレームが際限なく寄せられる (complaints pour in endlessly — negative, wearisome)」 uses 際限なく; 「感動して涙がとめどなくあふれた (moved, tears welled up unstoppably — a flowing thing)」 uses とめどなく. One leans “immoderately persisting (negative),” one leans “(flowing things) welling out in a stream.”

🖊️ Practice Questions (5)

Q1. 「合格の見込みは、___ゼロに近い。」(Approaching infinitely close)

(A) 限りなく　(B) 際限なく　(C) 少なくとも　(D) もっとも

Q2. 「際限なく」の語感は?

(A) Endless / without limit (often negative)

(B) Ends right away

(C) Occasionally

(D) A little bit

Q3. 「限りなく透明に近い」の意味は?

(A) Infinitely close to transparent

(B) Completely opaque

(C) Somewhat transparent

(D) Becomes opaque

Q4. 「欲望には際限がない」の意味は?

(A) Desire has no end / no limit

(B) No desire

(C) Desire is small

(D) Desire disappears

Q5. 用法が自然なのは?

(A) 際限なく要求が続く。　(B) 際限なくゼロに近い(for 'approaching', use 限りなく)。

(C) 限りなく続いてうんざり(for negative nuance, use 際限なく)。　(D) 限りなくだ高い。

Answer Explanations

1. (A) 限りなく ── Infinitely close to zero.

2. (A) ── Endless / without limit (negative).

3. (A) ── Infinitely close to transparent.

4. (A) ── Desire has no end.

5. (A) ── 「際限なく要求が続く」 is correct.