“〜te made・〜made shite”: Going So Far As to 〜 (often with negative evaluation) [JLPT N2]

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

「嘘をついてまで勝ちたいのか」 — going to excessive lengths — usually a step too far.

「借金してまで、買う価値があるの?」 — going so far as that — is it really worth it?

Seeing someone borrow money for a designer bag, you might think 「借金してまで、買う価値があるの?」 (going so far as to borrow money to buy it — is it really worth it?) — 「〜てまで・〜までして」 = going so far as to ～, to the point of ～, meaning taking excessive, extreme means for a goal, and often carrying a negative appraisal or questioning (is it worth it / isn't that going too far). This guide covers its negative-appraisal feel and how to tell it from the resolve-carrying 「てでも.」

Core: taking extreme means (often with a negative appraisal)

「〜てまで／〜までして」 means “for a goal, going so far as to do ～ (that excessive) extent”:

• 行列に並んでまで、食べたいとは思わない (I don't think I'd want to eat it going so far as to queue).
• 徹夜までして、間に合わせた (even pulling an all-nighter, I made it in time).

Feel: “going so far as to ～, to the point of ～” — the core is “taking extreme/excessive means for a goal,” and it often carries the speaker's negative appraisal, questioning (“(going that far,) is it really worth it / that's too much”). It foregrounds the “excess” of the means, mostly for criticism, questioning, or expressing “not to that extent.”

Attachment & forms

Examples in context

• 健康を害してまで、働く必要はない。(There's no need to work at the cost of your health.)
• カンニングしてまで、いい点を取りたいのか。(Do you want good marks so much you'd even cheat?)
• 借金までして、旅行に行った。(They even borrowed money to go traveling.)
• 人を裏切ってまで、成功したいとは思わない。(I don't want to succeed to the point of betraying others.)
• 順番を抜かしてまで、急ぐことはない。(There's no need to rush to the point of cutting in line.)

⚠️ Where learners slip up

① 「てまで」 often carries a negative appraisal, questioning — not neutral description. This is the key feel. 「〜てまで／までして」 foregrounds “taking excessive, extreme means for a goal,” and mostly carries the speaker's negative appraisal or questioning — “(going that far,) is it really necessary/worth it? Isn't that too much?”: 嘘をついてまで、勝ちたいのか (do you want to win so much you'd even lie? — questioning, criticism), 健康を犠牲にしてまで、働くべきではない (you shouldn't work at the cost of your health — negation). So it often pairs with a negative, rhetorical, critical main clause (〜たくない, 〜必要はない, 〜べきではない, 〜価値があるのか). Don't take it as a plain “even ～” — it almost always carries the appraisal “that's too much/not worth it.”

② 「てまで」 vs 「てでも」: negative questioning (excess) vs positive resolve (even so, will do). These two are easily confused, yet often opposite in direction. 「〜てまで」 = going so far as to ～ (with negative appraisal, foregrounding the means' excess): (going that far) is it really worth it — mostly for criticism, questioning: 借金してまで買う? (buy it going so far as to borrow money? — questioning). 「〜てでも」 = even ～, will do (with resolve, more positive/neutral): whatever the cost, will achieve it — mostly expressing strong resolve, will: どんな手を使ってでも、成功させる (whatever means it takes, I'll make it succeed — resolve). Difference: 「てまで」 carries the negation/questioning of “(going that far) is too much”; 「てでも」 carries the positive resolve of “no matter what, I'll do it.” Test: to criticize/question “going so far as that excessive extent” → てまで; to express the resolve “I'll achieve it even at a cost” → てでも. (Though 「てまで」 can occasionally be neutral, in feel it mostly carries a negative appraisal.)

③ Attachment: 「てまで」 takes the て-form, 「までして」 takes a noun or て-form. Note the attachment. 「〜てまで」 takes a verb て-form (並んでまで, 働いてまで, 嘘をついてまで). 「〜までして」 takes a noun (徹夜までして, 借金までして) or a verb て-form (無理をしてまで = 無理をしてまで). The two are close, both “going so far as ～.” To attach a noun (徹夜, 借金), 「noun ＋ までして」 is most natural; to attach an action, 「verb て-form ＋ まで（して）」 is natural. Mnemonic: verb → てまで; noun → までして.

🔄 Compare with similar forms: てまで／までして／てでも／まで

💡 An exam judgment tip

「〜てまで・までして」 = going so far as to ～, to the point of ～ — three points: ① often carries a negative appraisal, questioning — foregrounding “taking excessive means for a goal,” mostly for criticism, rhetorical questions (嘘をついてまで勝ちたいのか = do you want to win so much you'd even lie?), the main clause often negative (〜たくない, 〜必要はない, 〜べきではない); ② separate it from 「てでも」 — てまで carries the negative questioning “that's too much,” てでも carries the positive resolve “even so, will do” (often opposite in direction); ③ attachment — verbs use 「てまで」, nouns use 「までして」 (徹夜までして, 借金までして). This pattern suits expressing the criticism or self-reflection “(going that far,) is it worth it/too much” (人を傷つけてまで、成功したくない = I don't want to succeed to the point of hurting others), with a value judgment. To express the positive “even so, will do” resolve, use 〈てでも〉.

❓ Quick FAQ

Q: 「てまで」 and 「てでも」 look alike — do they mean the same?

Often opposite, the key thing to separate. 「〜てまで」 = going so far as to ～ (with negative appraisal, questioning): foregrounds “taking excessive, extreme means for a goal,” and mostly carries the speaker's negative appraisal or questioning “that's too much/not worth it,” the main clause often negative or rhetorical: 借金してまで、ブランド品を買う必要があるのか (is it necessary to go so far as borrowing money to buy designer goods? — questioning), 健康を壊してまで、働きたくない (I don't want to work at the cost of my health — negation). It foregrounds the “excess” of the means to criticize. 「〜てでも」 = even ～, will do (with strong resolve, will, more positive/neutral): means “whatever the cost or means, I'm determined to achieve it,” with firm resolve: どんなことをしてでも、あの人を助けたい (whatever it takes, I want to save that person — resolve). It positively expresses will. Test: to criticize/question “going so far as that excessive extent (is it worth it?)” → てまで; to positively express “I'll achieve it even at a cost” resolve → てでも. E.g. 「カンニングしてまで、合格したいのか (do you want to pass so much you'd even cheat?)」 uses てまで (questioning/criticism, cheating is an excessive means); 「徹夜してでも、明日までに終わらせる (even pulling an all-nighter, I'll finish by tomorrow)」 uses てでも (positive resolve). Same 「て ＋ まで/でも,」 one with negative questioning, one with positive resolve — don't reverse them. (Note that 「てまで」 can occasionally be used in neutral contexts, but in feel it mostly leans negative appraisal; 「てでも」 stably expresses resolve.)

Q: 「てまで」 or 「までして」 — which do I use? Does attachment differ?

The two are close in meaning (both “going so far as ～, to the point of ～”), differing mainly in attachment. 「〜てまで」 takes a verb て-form: expressing “going so far as an ‘action'”: 並んでまで (going so far as to queue), 嘘をついてまで (going so far as to lie), 人を蹴落としてまで (going so far as to push others down). 「〜までして」 takes a noun (or a verb て-form, becoming 「てまでして」): expressing “even ‘some matter/means'”: 徹夜までして (even an all-nighter), 借金までして (even borrowing money), けがまでして (even getting injured). Test: to foreground an action → 「verb て-form ＋ まで」 (並んでまで, 働いてまで); to foreground a nominalized means/thing → 「noun ＋ までして」 (徹夜までして, 借金までして). E.g. 「借金までして旅行に行く (even borrowing money to travel)」 uses までして (借金 is a noun); 「行列に並んでまで食べたくない (I don't want to eat going so far as to queue)」 uses てまで (並ぶ is an action). In fact the two are often interchangeable (借金してまで = 借金までして, both work); it's just that with a noun 「までして」 is smoother, with an action 「てまで」 is smoother. The core feel (going so far, often with negative appraisal) is the same.

🖊️ Practice Questions (5)

Q1. 「行列に何時間も並ん___、食べたいとは思わない。」(going so far as to queue for hours)

(A) でまで　(B) でも　(C) ながら　(D) どころか

Q2. What is the difference between 「てまで」 and 「てでも」?

(A) てまで = carries a negative evaluation (no need to go that far); てでも = positive resolve (must do it no matter what)

(B) They are exactly the same

(C) てまで = positive resolve

(D) てでも = negative evaluation

Q3. What is the nuance of 「嘘をついてまで勝ちたいのか」?

(A) critical: do you want to win so badly you'd even lie? (surely no need)

(B) praising his effort

(C) expressing gratitude

(D) a pure question with no evaluation

Q4. What comes before 「てまで」?

(A) verb te-form (nouns use までして)

(B) dictionary form

(C) nai-form

(D) ta-form

Q5. Which usage is correct?

(A) 借金してまで買う。　(B) 借金するまで買う(てまでが正)。

(C) 徹夜してでまで。　(D) 嘘をつくてまで。

Answer Explanations

1. (A) でまで ── Going so far as to queue for hours (並んでまで).

2. (A) ── てまで carries a negative evaluation; てでも positive resolve.

3. (A) ── Critical (going so far as to lie, no need).

4. (A) ── verb te-form + まで.

5. (A) ── 「借金してまで」 (te-form) is correct.