〜の至り (~no itari) — utmost ~ (one's own feeling, formal)
A ready-made phrase for speeches, thanks and apologies — your own feeling in the most humble, formal words.
Formula (सूत्र ढाँचा)
Grammar rule (व्याकरण नियम र परिभाषा)
When to use it
- At an award ceremony, the winner stands at the microphone and says: 「このような賞をいただき、光栄の至りです」— 'to receive such an honour is the greatest privilege for me.'
- It is very formal language — speeches, thank-you letters, apology emails; with a friend, 「すごくうれしい」is fine.
Meaning
「至る」= 'to arrive', so 「の至り」= 'that feeling has arrived at its final point'.
How to attach
- 「です／だ」comes at the end.
- Remember one idiom too: 「若気の至り」= 'the folly of youth' — said about an old mistake, a little embarrassed.
Versus what you know
Like the previous 「の極み」it is N + の + 至り, but it is much narrower: it only goes with a few set words — 光栄 (honour), 恐縮 (feeling humbled by someone's trouble or kindness), 感激 (being deeply moved), 赤面 (blushing with shame) — and it is always the speaker's own feeling.
Watch out
That is why 「疲労の極み」is fine but 「疲労の至り」is not — tiredness is a physical state, not a humble feeling.
Examples (उदाहरणहरू)
歴史ある大学で講演の機会をいただき、光栄の至りです。
れきしあるだいがくでこうえんのきかいをいただき、こうえいのいたりです。
To be given the chance to speak at a university with such history is the greatest honor.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 講演の機会をいただき = I was given the chance to give a lecture (the reason) → 光栄 = honor (my own feeling) → 「の至りです」 = it's the greatest honor.
お忙しいところ、わざわざお越しいただき、恐縮の至りです。
おいそがしいところ、わざわざおこしいただき、きょうしゅくのいたりです。
You took the trouble to come despite being so busy — I am deeply obliged.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) わざわざお越しいただき = you took the trouble to come → 恐縮 = feeling bad about the trouble someone took → 「の至りです」 = I'm deeply grateful / most obliged.
学生時代に髪を金色に染めたのは、若気の至りだった。
がくせいじだいにかみをきんいろにそめたのは、わかげのいたりだった。
Dyeing my hair gold as a student was just the folly of youth.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 髪を金色に染めた = I dyed my hair gold (something from the past) → 若気 = youthful rashness → 「の至りだった」 = it was foolishness done out of youthful rashness.
Knowledge check (मिनी ज्ञान जाँच)
「皆様の前でお話しできることは、光栄の＿＿＿です。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint: Your honour in a speech — the set phrase that goes with 光栄.
光栄の至りです = it is the greatest honour. 「極まり」「上」「わけ」don't fit after 「の」here.
Which sentence is unnatural?
💡 Hint: A humble feeling, or a physical state?
Tiredness is a physical state, not a humble feeling — say 「疲労の極みだ」. 至り only goes with a few words like 光栄・恐縮・感激 and 若気.
「光栄の至り」and 「疲労の極み」— which is true of 「の至り」?
💡 Hint: Which is narrower — 極み or 至り?
至り = a few set words for your own feeling (光栄・恐縮・感激), very formal. Other people's states and a much wider range of nouns are 極み's job.
Your score: /3