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Expressing extreme emphasis, degree, and intensity
What each pattern means, when to use it, and the mistakes that cost marks in the exam.
States that N2 exists only because N1 exists or provides support. N1 is considered an essential foundation.
Common mistakes
Used to emphasize that even a small action or thought leads to a strong reaction. It is frequently paired with verbs like 'imagining', 'thinking', or 'dreaming'.
Common mistakes
Used in very formal settings to describe being in the highest state of an emotion, such as honor, shame, or gratitude.
Common mistakes
Expresses that a state has reached its absolute extreme, usually in a negative or critical sense. Note the 'koto' required for i-adjectives.
Common mistakes
Describes a state that has reached its absolute peak or limit. Often used with abstract nouns like 'luxury', 'glory', or 'exhaustion'.
Common mistakes
Used to highlight an extreme example to suggest that something applies even more so to other things. It is more formal and literary than 'sae'.
Common mistakes
Follows the smallest unit of measurement (one second, one person, one drop) to emphasize a total negative. The ending must be negative.
Common mistakes
Emphasizes an extreme degree by suggesting it is beyond what words can express. Can be used for both positive and negative extremes.
Common mistakes
Adaptive practice
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