“kotogotoku / nokorazu” Meaning — Every One / Without Exception [JLPT N1]

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

“Every plan failed without exception” — emphasizing no exceptions, formal, with examples. (JLPT N1)

「彼の試みは、ことごとく失敗した」 — all of them, without exception, every single one

To stress “all of them, not one left, none spared,” 「彼の試みは、ことごとく失敗に終わった」 (his attempts all ended in failure) — 「ことごとく・残らず」 = all, every one, without exception, a written, emphatic phrasing. This guide covers attachment, the feel that often pairs with negative outcomes, and flags the “紛紛 (in succession)” confusion learners most often make.

Core: not a single exception, all of them

「ことごとく」 is an adverb meaning “all, one and all, without exception” — stressing “every single one within a range, without omission, all ～”:

• 私の予想は、ことごとく外れた (my predictions were all wrong).
• 台風の直撃を受け、島の家々はことごとく倒壊した (hit directly by the typhoon, the island's houses all collapsed, none spared).
• 彼の提案は、会議でことごとく否決された (his proposals were rejected one and all at the meeting).

Feel: the core is “all, without exception” — every single one in a range, without omission, all ～ (all failed, all predictions off). It carries the emphasis of “none spared, all of them, not one left,” and often pairs with a negative outcome (all attempts failed, all proposals rejected, all predictions off). 「残らず」 also means “not one left, all” (一つ残らず = not a single one left). It corresponds to “all, every last one, one and all, without exception.”

Forms & attachment

Examples in use

• 敵の攻撃を、味方はことごとく跳ね返した。(Our side repelled all of the enemy's attacks.)
• 長年の努力は、ことごとく水の泡となった。(Years of effort all came to nothing.)
• 彼の言い分は、事実とことごとく食い違っていた。(His account diverged from the facts at every point.)
• 証拠は残らず処分された。(The evidence was disposed of without a trace.)
• 期待はことごとく裏切られた。(Expectations were all betrayed.)

⚠️ Where learners slip up

① The core is ‘all, without exception,' often paired with a negative outcome. 「ことごとく」's core is “every single one (within a range), without omission, without exception, all ～” — stressing “not a single exception, all of them…,” with the weight of “none spared, not one left.” And it often pairs with a negative outcome (though not absolutely): 試みはことごとく失敗した (attempts all failed), 予測はことごとく外れた (predictions all off), 家々はことごとく倒壊した (houses all collapsed) — all “everything (turned out badly)” outcomes. It corresponds to “all, every last one, without exception.” Test: to stress “(within a range) all, without exception” (especially a negative outcome) → ことごとく.

② ⭐Pairs with plural／a whole, not with ‘one.' 「ことごとく」 means “all (plural), without exception,” necessarily a “multiple” concept, and can't pair with a single item: ✗ ことごとく一つ買う (a contradiction — “all without exception” contradicts “one”). It's always for “multiple things in a range, all of which ～”: 計画はことごとく失敗した (multiple plans all failed), 質問にことごとく答えた (answered all the questions one by one). So on seeing 「ことごとく,」 the context always involves “multiple／a whole range.” Test: to say “(multiple things) all, every one ～” → ことごとく; can't be used when there's only “one.”

③ ⭐Don't confuse it with the Chinese 「紛紛」 — 「ことごとく」 is ‘all without exception,' not ‘in succession.' This is learners' most typical misuse. The Chinese 「紛紛」 stresses “in succession over time, one after another” (everyone left 紛紛 = left one after another, opinions 紛紛 = various opinions came out in succession); while 「ことごとく」 stresses “all within a range, without exception” (every one in the range ～), with no “in succession, temporal” sense. So the Chinese 「紛紛～」 can't be translated as 「ことごとく」: Chinese 「大家紛紛逃走」 (fled in succession) ≠ 「ことごとく逃げた」 (all fled, stressing no exception, not stressing succession). To express “in succession,” Japanese uses 「次々と (one after another)／続々と (in succession)」; 「ことごとく」 is “all without exception.” Difference: 「ことごとく」 = all, without exception (the whole range); the Chinese 「紛紛」 = in succession, one after another (temporal) → use 「次々と／続々と」 in Japanese. Test: to stress “all, without exception” → ことごとく; to say “in succession, one after another” → 次々と／続々と (not ことごとく).

🔄 Compare: ことごとく／残らず／すべて／一つ残らず

💡 Quick takeaway

「ことごとく・残らず」 = all, one and all, without exception — three points: ① the core is “all, without exception” (every one in a range ～, often a negative outcome: 試みはことごとく失敗した); ②⭐pairs with plural／a whole, not with “one” (✗ことごとく一つ); ③⭐don't confuse it with the Chinese 「紛紛」 — 「ことごとく」 = all without exception (a range), the Chinese 「紛紛」 = in succession (temporal) → use 「次々と／続々と」 in Japanese. This pattern is an elevated written, emphatic adverb — 「予測はことごとく外れた (predictions all off)」 has more “none spared” weight and polish than 「すべて外れた.」 To stress in writing “(multiple things) all, without exception ～” (especially negative), 「ことごとく」 is most forceful (remember it's “all without exception,” not “in succession”).

❓ Common questions

Q: 「ことごとく」 and 「すべて」 both mean ‘all' — how do I tell them apart?

The difference is ‘how much it stresses «without exception»' and register. 「ことごとく」 = all, one and all, without exception (written, emphatic, with «none spared» weight): it's more written, formal, polished, stressing “every one (in a range), without omission, without exception, all ～,” with the strong weight of “all of them, none spared, not one left,” and often paired with a negative outcome: 計画はことごとく失敗した (the plans all failed, none succeeded — stressing “all failed, not one exception”), 予測はことごとく外れた (predictions all off). It gives an “utterly, thoroughly” emphatic feel. 「すべて」 = all, every (most neutral, general): it's the most neutral, everyday, general “all, every,” without special “no-exception” weight, positive or negative, used in speech or writing: すべての質問に答えた (answered all the questions), すべてうまくいった (everything went well), すべての人に平等だ (equal to everyone). It's just plain “all.” Difference: 「ことごとく」 more written, stressing «without exception» (with weight, often negative); 「すべて」 more neutral, general (plain «all,» positive or negative). Test: to stress in writing “all, without exception” (especially a negative outcome, with weight) → ことごとく; to just neutrally say “all, every” → すべて. E.g. 「彼の努力はことごとく報われなかった (his efforts all went unrewarded — stressing no exception, with a tragic tone)」 uses ことごとく; 「すべての準備が整った (all preparations are ready — a neutral statement)」 uses すべて. One is “stressing no exception (written),” one is “a neutral all (general).”

Q: Can the Chinese 「大家紛紛離開」 be said as 「ことごとく去った」?

No! This is learners' most typical misuse — 「ことごとく」 is «all without exception,» not «紛紛 (in succession)». The Chinese 「紛紛」 and the Japanese 「ことごとく」 have entirely different focuses: Chinese 「紛紛」 = in succession, one after another (temporal sequence): 「大家紛紛離開」 = “left one after another, in succession” (stressing “in succession, continuously,” a temporal dynamic), 「意見紛紛」 = “various opinions came out in succession.” Its focus is “one after another over time, continuously.” Japanese 「ことごとく」 = all, without exception (the whole range): 「ことごとく去った」 = “all left (without exception, not one remaining)” (stressing “all within a range, not one exception,” not stressing “in succession”). Its focus is “all, without exception,” with no “in succession, temporal” sense. So the Chinese 「大家紛紛離開」 (stressing succession) can't be translated as 「ことごとく去った」 (which becomes “all left, stressing no exception,” off in meaning). The correct rendering: Chinese 「紛紛 (in succession, one after another)」 → Japanese 「次々と (one after another)／続々と (in succession)」: みんな次々と去っていった (everyone left one after another), 意見が続々と出た (opinions came out in succession). Difference: 「ことごとく」 = all without exception (range); the Chinese 「紛紛」 = in succession, one after another (temporal) → use 「次々と／続々と」. Test: to say “all, without exception” → ことごとく; to say “in succession, one after another (temporal sequence)” → 次々と／続々と. Remember 「ことごとく」 has no “in succession” sense, only “all without exception,” and you won't misapply the Chinese 「紛紛」 to it.

🖊️ Practice Questions (5)

Q1. 「彼の試みは___うまくいかなかった。」(Every single one went badly)

(A) ことごとく　(B) いまだに　(C) しばらく　(D) ますます

Q2. 「ことごとく」が接しやすい結果は?

(A) Negative, unfavorable (failure, rejection, falling through)

(B) All good things

(C) Neutral time

(D) Command

Q3. 「提案がことごとく却下された」の意味は?

(A) Every single proposal (without exception) was rejected

(B) All proposals passed

(C) There were no proposals

(D) Only one was rejected

Q4. 「ことごとく」の意味は?

(A) All / every one (without exception)

(B) Occasionally

(C) A little bit

(D) Never

Q5. 用法が自然なのは?

(A) 予想がことごとく外れた。　(B) ことごとくを食べる。

(C) ことごとくだ高い。　(D) ことごとく一つ買う(contradiction)。

Answer Explanations

1. (A) ことごとく ── Every single one went badly.

2. (A) ── Mostly attaches to negative outcomes.

3. (A) ── Rejected one and all.

4. (A) ── All / without exception.

5. (A) ── 「予想がことごとく外れた」 is correct.