Grammar Info

N2 Lesson 5: 8/18

挙句(あげく)

After, In the end, After all, Eventually

Kanji Reading: 挙げ句 or 挙句

Structure

Verb[た]+ あげく + (に) + (Past Tense) (Result)

Verb[た]+ あげく + + Noun

Noun + possesion + あげく + (に) + (Past Tense) (Result)

Details

  • Register

    Standard

  • 使用域

    一般

About あげく

挙句(あげく) 'in the end', is a noun used in Japanese to express a negative result that occurs, despite a considerable amount of time, effort, or resources that was put into (A). あげく will often be used in situations where the escalating situation of (A) somehow caused or prompted the negative result of (B).
あげく will appear after the past-tense form of verbs, or after nouns followed by の.
  • (わたし)(おっと)(はな)()いをしたあげく離婚(りこん)することに()めた。
    After having a discussion with my husband, we have decided that we are getting a divorce.
  • 昨日(きのう)()とした財布(さいふ)(なが)時間(じかん)(さが)したあげく()つける(こと)ができなかったので交番(こうばん)()った。
    After looking for my wallet that I dropped yesterday, I couldn't find it, so I went to the police station.
  • 田中(たなか)さんと中田(なかた)さんは口論(こうろん)あげく喧嘩(けんか)になってしまい、警察(けいさつ)のお世話(せわ)になった。
    After an argument, Mr. Tanaka and Ms. Nakata got into a fight and were taken care of by the police.
Alternatively, あげく may be used to express some sort of troublesome or negative process that led to the conclusion of (B). In these cases, the outcome itself may not be undesirable, but arriving at that result of (B) somehow was.
  • 先生(せんせい)色々(いろいろ)相談(そうだん)したあげく、レポートを()(なお)すことにした。
    After much discussion with the teacher, I decided to rewrite the report.
  • 父親(ちちおや)との議論(ぎろん)あげく(おれ)大学(だいがく)中退(ちゅうたい)して会社(かいしゃ)()ぐことになった。
    After some discussion with my father, I decided to drop out of college and take over his company.
Caution - あげく will most often be in hiragana, but the forms 挙句(あげく) and ()() are also quite common.
Fun-fact - 挙句(あげく) originally referred to the final line of a 連歌(れんが) (a form of early Japanese poetry), and literally means 'the tying up phrase', or 'the concluding phrase'.

Examples

  • (はし)って(ころ)んだあげくに、(かべ)衝突(しょうとつ)した。

    After running and falling, I crashed into a wall.

  • (すう)時間(じかん)スーパー(ある)(まわ)ったあげく(なに)()わず(いえ)(かえ)った。

    After walking around at the supermarket for a few hours, I went home without buying anything.

  • 時間(じかん)(はやし)(まよ)ったあげくに、(みち)(さが)のを(あきら)めた。1時間(じかん)()に、森林(しんりん)管理(かんり)(かん)()つけてくれた。

    After I got lost in the woods for three hours, I gave up searching for a way out. After an hour I was found by a forester.

  • 試験(しけん)合格(ごうかく)のために徹夜(てつや)したからバス()(おく)れたあげくに、試験(しけん)()けられなかった。

    Because I sat up all night in order to pass the test I missed the bus and I couldn't take the test in the end.

  • さんざん(かんが)えたあげく(おや)()(はん)して大学(だいがく)()めた。

    After considering it thoughtfully I have quit university against wishes of my parents.

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あげく – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (2 in total)

  • Pep95

    Pep95

    About 3 years ago

    How would the noun version work?

    “After school, we went to the park” or something?

  • Fuga

    Fuga

    About 1 year ago

    Hey @Pep95 !

    Nouns used with あげく are nouns that are する verbs, so normal nouns will not work with this grammar point.

    For example, 泥酔したあげくに、財布を盗られた, is the verb form, but since 泥酔 is a noun, the sentence can be changed to 泥酔のあげくに、財布を盗られた.
    We hope that answers your question!

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