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Formation: N + の至り (limited nouns: 光栄・恐縮・感激・赤面・汗顔・若気)

This pattern expresses the highest degree of a feeling. It is used almost only in set phrases about the speaker's own feelings, such as 光栄の至り ('the greatest honour'), 恐縮の至り ('most obliged' or 'deeply sorry') and 赤面の至り ('mortifying'). These are very formal and typical of speeches, formal letters and acceptance remarks. The set phrase 若気の至り is different: it means something foolish done out of youthful inexperience, used to explain or excuse past behaviour. 〜の極み works with a much wider range of nouns and can also describe things, including negatively (贅沢の極み, 無責任の極み). 〜の至り can't be used freely like that. 〜極まる／極まりない attaches to adjectives as a predicate, usually with criticism.

Variants: 〜の至りです、若気の至り

Examples

• このような賞をいただき、光栄の至りです。
  It is the greatest honour to receive an award like this.
• 学生時代に家出したのは、若気の至りでした。
  Running away from home as a student was just youthful folly.
• 人前で恩師の名前を間違えるとは、赤面の至りだ。
  Getting my old teacher's name wrong in public was utterly mortifying.

In real texts 0 occurrence(s)

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