GRAMMAR DETAIL
に至って
Indicates that a judgment or response occurred only after the situation had reached a final stage.
Examples
被害が市内全域に広がるに至って、ようやく住民に避難が呼びかけられた。
Only after the damage had spread throughout the city were residents finally urged to evacuate.
Words used
問題が表面化するに至って、対策が始まった。
Measures were not begun until the problem came to light.
Words used
Study notes
1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning
- Structure: Attach
に至ってto a dictionary-form verb or similar expression to show that a response or judgment came only once a situation reached a certain stage. - Basic usage:
問題が表面化するに至って、対策が始まった。means that measures began only when the problem came to light.
2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions
- Connective versus sentence ending
広がるに至ってconnects the stage reached to a response that follows.広がるに至ったends a statement by saying that the situation reached that stage.
- Emphasis on a late response
表面化したときidentifies the time when the problem surfaced. In this context,表面化するに至ってstresses how late the response came, only once that stage was reached, and pairs naturally withようやく.