終盤

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 終盤, read しゅうばん, denotes the closing phase of a game or narrative.
• Basic usage: In 小説の終盤で、失踪事件の真相が明らかになる。, the truth about the disappearance is revealed near the end of the novel.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Closing phase and completion
  • 終盤に入る means entering the final phase of something still in progress. It differs from 終了する, which describes finishing.
• Sequence of phases
  • 序盤, 中盤, and 終盤 distinguish opening, middle, and closing phases. The example where attacks intensify belongs to 終盤.