“sue ni / ta sue ni” Meaning — After 〜, Finally… (usually positive) [JLPT N2]

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

“After much thought, I finally decided” — reaching a (usually positive) result after a process, with examples. (JLPT N2)

「さんざん悩んだ末に、留学を決めた」 — after much agonizing, finally making a decision

Looking back on a major decision, 「さんざん悩んだ末に、留学を決めた」 (after much agonizing, I finally decided to study abroad) — 「〜末に・〜た末に」 = after ～, finally…, meaning “after a whole process (effort, thought, agonizing), finally reaching some result,” and the result is mostly positive or neutral. It's a frequently-tested contrast with the negative-result 「〜た挙句」 (see 〈た挙句〉). This guide covers its use and the positive/negative division of labor with 「挙句.」

Core: after a whole process, finally reaching a (mostly positive) result

「verb た-form／noun の ＋ 末に」 means “after ～ (much effort, thought, agonizing, discussion), finally (reaching some result)”:

• 悩んだ末に、決断した (after agonizing, I finally made a decision).
• 長い議論の末に、結論に達した (after long discussion, a conclusion was reached).
• さんざん努力した末に、ようやく成功した (after much effort, finally succeeded).

Feel: “after ～, finally…” — the core is “going through a whole process (making effort/thinking it over), finally reaching some result,” stressing “the twists, the pains of the process,” with the result mostly positive or neutral (finally achieved, finally decided, finally reached). It values “a result that came only through effort/thought,” with a “at last, finally” feel.

Forms & attachment

See it in context

• 何度も話し合った末に、ようやく合意に達した。(After talking many times, we finally reached agreement.)
• 長年の研究の末に、彼は新薬を開発した。(After years of research, he developed a new drug.)
• 迷いに迷った末に、この道を選んだ。(After much hesitation, I chose this path.)
• 苦労の末に、ついに夢を叶えた。(After hardship, I finally realized my dream.)
• 激しい戦いの末に、チームは優勝を勝ち取った。(After a fierce battle, the team won the championship.)

⚠️ Where learners slip up

① 「末に」's result is ‘mostly positive/neutral,' opposite to 「挙句」's negative. This is the key distinction (see 〈た挙句〉). 「〜た末に」 = after ～, finally… (result mostly positive/neutral): stresses “after a whole process of effort/thought/twists, finally reaching a (good or neutral) result” — finally achieved, finally decided, finally succeeded: 悩んだ末に、いい結論を出した (after agonizing, reached a good conclusion — positive), 努力の末に成功した (succeeded after effort — positive). It has an “at last, finally (bore fruit)” feel, valuing “a result that came through effort.” 「〜た挙句」 = after much trouble ～, ends up… (mostly negative): stresses “after much trouble, agonizing, the result is (bad, wasted, worse)”: 悩んだ挙句、やめてしまった (after agonizing, ended up quitting — negative), 迷った挙句、何も買わなかった (after hesitating, bought nothing — wasted). Difference: 「末に」's result is mostly positive/neutral (finally achieved); 「挙句」's result is mostly negative (after much trouble, yet…). Test: the result is “finally (well/neutrally) achieved through effort” → 末に; the result is “after much trouble, yet (bad/wasted)” → 挙句 (see 〈た挙句〉). This is a frequently-tested positive/negative contrast in N2.

② Attach a verb た-form or ‘noun ＋ の.' Note the attachment. Attach a verb た-form (悩んだ末に, 話し合った末に); attach a noun with 「の」 (苦労の末に, 議論の末に, 熟考の末に). ○ 悩んだ末に (verb た-form), ○ 苦労の末に (noun ＋ の) / × 悩む末に (dictionary form wrong), × 苦労末に (missing 「の」). Mnemonic: verb た-form ＋ 末に／noun ＋ の ＋ 末に. What precedes is “a process” (悩む・議論・苦労・努力) in completed form (た-form) or nominalized (の).

③ It values ‘a whole process,' not a plain ‘after.' 「末に」's core stresses “going through a whole (painstaking, twisting, effortful) process, then reaching the following result,” with the weight of “after much toil/repeated deliberation, finally….” It differs from the plain time-sequence 「〜あとで (after)」「〜てから (after)」 — 「末に」 foregrounds “the twists, the effort of that process,” the following result being “one that came only through that process.” So what precedes is mostly a “painstaking process” like 悩む・迷う・苦労する・議論する・検討する・戦う, with the following being “the result finally reached.” Test: to stress “after a whole (effortful/thoughtful/twisting) process, finally…” → 末に (with the process's weight); merely “do A, then B” → just use あとで／てから.

🔄 Compare: 末に／挙句／あとで／結果

💡 Learning tip

「〜末に・た末に」 = after ～, finally… (after a whole process, finally reaching a result) — three points: ① the result is mostly positive/neutral — the biggest difference from 「挙句」: 末に = finally (well/neutrally) achieved through effort (悩んだ末に決めた = after agonizing, finally decided), 挙句 = after much trouble, yet (negatively) (悩んだ挙句やめた = after agonizing, still quit, see 〈た挙句〉); ② attach a verb た-form or noun の (悩んだ末に／苦労の末に); ③ it values “the weight of a whole process” — a result reached only after much toil/repeated deliberation, not a plain “after.” This pattern suits narrating the major result of “after a whole effort/struggle, finally achieving/deciding” — 「〜末に、ようやく〜」, with the weight of “at last, finally.” To express “after much trouble but no good result,” use 〈た挙句〉.

❓ FAQ

Q: 「末に」 and 「挙句」 both mean ‘in the end after ～' — how do I tell them apart?

The key difference is the result's positivity/negativity: 「末に」 is mostly positive/neutral, 「挙句」 mostly negative (see 〈た挙句〉). 「〜た末に」 = after ～, finally… (result mostly positive or neutral): stresses “after a whole process of effort, thought, twists, finally reaching a (good or neutral) result,” with an “at last, finally (bore fruit/made a decision)” feel, valuing “a result that came through effort”: さんざん悩んだ末に、留学を決めた (after much agonizing, finally decided to study abroad — a considered decision, neutral/positive), 長年の努力の末に、成功を収めた (after years of effort, finally achieved success — positive), 激論の末に、合意に達した (after fierce debate, finally reached agreement — positive). Its result is “a (good result or important decision) finally achieved through effort/thought.” 「〜た挙句」 = after much trouble ～, ends up… (result mostly negative): stresses “after much trouble, struggle, effort, the result is (bad, wasted, worse, disappointing),” with the resignation or negativity of “after all that, in the end yet…”: さんざん悩んだ挙句、結局やめてしまった (after much agonizing, ended up quitting — negative), あちこち探し回った挙句、見つからなかった (after searching all over, couldn't find it — wasted), 大喧嘩した挙句、別れた (after a big fight, ended up breaking up — negative). Its result is “a (bad/wasted/worse) result reached after much trouble.” Test: the result is “finally (well/neutrally) achieved, decided through effort” → 末に (positive/neutral); the result is “after much trouble, yet (bad, wasted, worse)” → 挙句 (negative, see 〈た挙句〉). E.g. 「悩んだ末に、いい方法を思いついた (after agonizing, hit upon a good method — positive)」 uses 末に; 「悩んだ挙句、何も決められなかった (after agonizing, couldn't decide anything — negative)」 uses 挙句. The same 「悩んだ〜に,」 a positive result uses 末に, a negative result uses 挙句. This is a classic N2 positive/negative contrast — remember “末に = finally (mostly positive), 挙句 = in the end yet (mostly negative).”

Q: What form precedes 「末に」?

A verb た-form or ‘noun ＋ の.' ① verb → た-form ＋ 末に: put the verb into the past (た-form), meaning “after finishing/going through that process”: 悩んだ末に (after agonizing), 話し合った末に (after discussing), 迷った末に (after hesitating), 検討した末に (after examining). Not the dictionary form: × 悩む末に → ○ 悩んだ末に. ② noun → の ＋ 末に: add 「の」 after the noun, then 末に: 苦労の末に (after hardship), 議論の末に (after discussion), 熟考の末に (after deep thought), 努力の末に (after effort). Don't drop 「の」: × 苦労末に → ○ 苦労の末に. So the rule: verb た-form ＋ 末に／noun ＋ の ＋ 末に. What precedes is “a painstaking process” — verbs are often “went-through-a-lot actions” like 悩む・迷う・苦労する・議論する・検討する・戦う・努力する (in た-form for completion), nouns often “process nouns” like 苦労・議論・熟考・努力・激戦 (with の). Remember “verb た-form, noun の” and you won't misattach. Also, to modify a noun use 「末の」 (熟考の末の決断 = a decision after careful deliberation).

🖊️ Practice Questions (5)

Q1. 「何年にもわたる試行錯誤の___、画期的な技術が生まれた。」(After many years, a groundbreaking technology finally emerged)

(A) 挙句に　(B) 末に　(C) あげくに　(D) たびに

Q2. 「さんざん迷っ___、結局何も決められなかった。」(After agonizing forever, ended up deciding nothing — negative)

(A) た末に　(B) た挙句に　(C) たから　(D) たため

Q3. 「長い交渉___、ようやく条約が締結された。」(After long negotiations, a treaty was finally concluded)

(A) の挙句に　(B) の末に　(C) どちらも可能　(D) のために

Q4. 「末に」の後に来やすい結果の種類は？

(A) 失敗・挫折の結果

(B) 努力の末に得られた（しばしば正面的な）結果

(C) 予想外の悪い事故

(D) 誰かが悪意を持って行った結果

Q5. 「彼女は苦労の___、一流の歌手になった。」(After going through many hardships, she finally became a top-class singer)

(A) 挙句に　(B) 末に　(C) ために　(D) せいで

Answer Explanations

1. (B) 末に ── 「試行錯誤の末に、画期的な技術」(a groundbreaking achievement) = a positive result after effort → 末に.

2. (B) た挙句に ── 「さんざん迷った挙句に」(after wavering and fretting), 「何も決められなかった」(negative — decided nothing) = 挙句 (a negative result).

3. (B) の末に ── 「ようやく条約が締結された」(finally signed — a positive outcome) = 末に. (If it were 「決裂した」/broke down, you would use 挙句に.)

4. (B) ── 末に usually carries a positive nuance: a (often positive) result obtained after effort and hard work. A neutral result is also possible, but the tone is one of "finally reaching it after much trouble."

5. (B) 末に ── 「苦労の末に」(after going through hardship), 「一流の歌手になった」(a positive achievement) = 末に (the fruit of effort).