Grammar Info
N1 Lesson 3: 16/17

飽(あ)くまで
just, only, merely, strictly

Structure
あくまで()+ Phrase
Details
Register Standard
使用域 一般
Information
飽(あ)く is the old-fashioned and somewhat poetic version of 飽(あ)きる the る-Verb meaning 'to tire of (A)', or 'to get sick of (A)'. When used in conjunction with the adverbial particles まで 'until', 飽(あ)くまで can imply that (A) is 'just', 'only', or 'strictly' something. The more literal translation of 'to continue (A) to the point of getting tired of it' fits these interpretations quite well, implying that (A) will never deviate from what is being described about it. This use of 飽(あ)くまで often appears at the beginning of a phrase, and functions adverbially. The adverbial particle も 'even' may be added for extra emphasis, but it is not required.
  • 彼(かれ)はあくまでも新人(しんじん)なので優(やさ)しく接(せっ)してあげてください。
    He is merely a newbie, so please treat him kindly.
  • それはあくまで可能性(かのうせい)に過(す)ぎないからなんの役(やく)にも立(た)たない。
    That is merely a possibility, so it doesn't help.
  • 私(わたし)はあくまでも素人(しんじん)に過(す)ぎませんが、設計(せっけい)にミスがあると思(おも)います。
    I am just an amateur, but I think that there is a mistake in the design.
In many cases, 飽(あ)くまで will be used in polite sentences when the speaker is expressing their own opinion. In these cases, the nuance of 'this is merely my opinion' is conveying to the listener that the speaker realizes that what they are saying is not the only viewpoint.
  • これはあくまで私(わたし)の意見(いけん)なので参考(さんこう)にしないでくださいね。
    This is just my opinion, so please don't refer to it.
This way of highlighting opinions is often combined with structures like けど, or が when the speaker wants to soften their statement before offering what they think a solution might be.
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会社(かいしゃ)の代表(だいひょう)はビジネスパートナーに:「今(いま)からお話(はな)しすることは、飽(あ)くまで私(わたし)の個人的(こじんてき)な意見(いけん)で、会社(かいしゃ)としての公式(こうしき)な意見(いけん)ではないことをご了承(りょうしょう)いただきたいのですが、...」
Company representative to business partners: "What I am about to say is just my personal opinion, so please understand that this is not our official stance as a company…"
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配偶者(はいぐうしゃ)1は配偶者(はいぐうしゃ)2に:「もうガスがちゃんと閉(し)めてあるか確認(かくにん)したのを知(し)ってるけど、もう一度(いちど)確認(かくにん)してね。飽(あ)くまで一応(いちおう)ですけどね。」
Spouse 1 to Spouse 2: "I know you have already checked if the gas is turned off, but please check again. Just to be sure."
[In this case, Spouse 2 could have taken the remark as insinuating incompetence, so Spouse 1 uses あくまでも to not appear arrogant or overly assertive]
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その影響(えいきょう)で東京(とうきょう)オリンピックは20XX年(ねん)も開催(かいさい)できないと思(おも)います。でもまぁ、飽(あ)くまで私(わたし)の想像(そうぞう)に過(す)ぎないので、真剣(しんけん)に考(かんが)えないでください。」
"I think that due to its influence, the Olympics might also not happen in 20XX. But this is just what I imagine will happen, so don’t look into it too much."
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A Dictionary of Advanced Japanese Grammar
Page 11