Having come to: 〜に及んで／〜に及ぶ
名詞・動詞辞書形 + に及んで／に及ぶ
X に及んで = “having reached (critical) stage X, only then…”; X に及ぶ = extend to X; 〜には及ばない = there's no need to.
In short
及ぶ means “to reach, to extend to”. X に及んで = “when the situation has reached X (a serious stage)”, often implying the reaction came very late: ようやく, やっと. この期に及んで = “at this stage, still?”. X に及ぶ indicates that a duration, a quantity or a field reaches X (三時間に及ぶ会議). 〜には及ばない = “there's no need”. Written register.
- 死者が出るに及んで、ようやく会社は安全対策を見直した。ししゃがでるにおよんで、ようやくかいしゃはあんぜんたいさくをみなおした。It took deaths for the company to finally review its safety measures.
- この期に及んで、まだ言い訳をするつもりか。このごにおよんで、まだいいわけをするつもりか。At this stage, you still mean to make excuses?
- 会議は五時間に及んだ。かいぎはごじかんにおよんだ。The meeting lasted a full five hours.
The basics
及ぶ is to reach a limit. With に及んで, you say a situation has finally reached a critical stage, and only then did something happen. The implication is often “about time”, or even “too late”.
Only once things had come to this did anyone finally act.
- noun
- verb
- other
- 事態がここに及んで、ようやく動いた。じたいがここにおよんで、ようやくうごいた。Only once things had come to this did anyone finally act.
- 株価が暴落するに及んで、投資家たちは慌てて資金を引き上げた。かぶかがぼうらくするにおよんで、とうしかたちはあわててしきんをひきあげた。Only when share prices crashed did investors scramble to pull out their money.
How to form it
に及んで follows a noun or a dictionary-form verb. The same verb gives several very useful written constructions.
| Construction | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| X に及んで | having reached stage X, then (finally) | 事態がここに及んで |
| この期に及んで | at this critical stage, still… | この期に及んで言い訳か |
| X に及ぶ + noun | reaching, lasting X | 三時間に及ぶ会議 |
| 〜には及ばない | there's no need | 心配には及ばない |
| 言うに及ばず | not to mention | 国内は言うに及ばず |
- 被害は県内全域に及んでいる。ひがいはけんないぜんいきにおよんでいる。The damage extends across the entire prefecture.
- ご心配には及びません。すぐに治ります。ごしんぱいにはおよびません。すぐになおります。There's no need to worry; I'll be better soon.
“Too late” and この期に及んで
With に及んで, the sentence often implies a criticism: something should have been done sooner. この期に及んで (“at this final moment”) is used to reproach hesitation or excuses when it's already too late.
- この期に及んでまだ責任を認めないとは、あきれたものだ。このごにおよんでまだせきにんをみとめないとは、あきれたものだ。Still refusing to take responsibility at this stage — it's appalling.
に及んで, に至って, に至る
に至って is very close: “having reached X (at last)”. に至る marks the outcome of a process (結論に至る). に及ぶ stresses instead the extent reached (duration, quantity, territory).
| Form | Focus | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜に及んで | critical stage, belated reaction | 事故が起きるに及んで |
| 〜に至って（初めて） | having reached this point, at last | 倒産するに至って初めて |
| 〜に及ぶ | extent: duration, number, area | 千人に及ぶ参加者 |
| 〜に至る | outcome of a process | 合意に至る |
- 長い議論の末、ようやく合意に至った。ながいぎろんのすえ、ようやくごういにいたった。After a long discussion, agreement was finally reached.
Common mistakes
- Reading この期 as “このき”: in the fixed expression, it's “このご”.
- Using に及んで for a neutral or happy stage: it's about a critical situation.
- Forgetting the “no need” meaning of 〜には及ばない: it doesn't mean “not reach”.
7 exercises on this point
Particles to choose, sentences to put back in order, translations: marked straight away, then reviewed at the right time. This JLPT N1 point is on the Nishi-Kyūshū Line (Trade and the economy) of the Shinkansen.