# ことこの上ない / この上ない / この上なく: the most of all; the best; nothing is more ... than ~

> Learn how to use ことこの上ない / この上ない / この上なく, a JLPT N1 Japanese grammar point meaning the most of all, with structure, nuance, examples, mistakes, and comparisons.

JLPT level: N1 · Updated: 2026-05-18 · Canonical: https://hane-app.com/blog/n1-koto-kono-ue-nai-kono-ue-nai-kono-ue-naku/

**ことこの<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない / この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない / この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なく** means **the most of all; the best; nothing is more … than ~**. It is a **JLPT N1** Japanese grammar pattern used to state that something is the ultimate or unequalled degree of a quality, emotion, or event.

This grammar point often appears in essays, formal letters, and N1 reading passages. If you need to express that nothing surpasses a certain feeling or state, this set of expressions is the most natural way to reach that intensity in written Japanese.

## What does ことこの<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない / この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない / この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なく mean?

Use these expressions when you want to say that something is **the extreme limit** of a quality, a joy, a disappointment, or any describable state – there is literally “nothing above it.”

Natural translations:
- the most … of all
- the best / the worst
- nothing is more … than ~
- the ultimate …

The best translation depends on whether you are modifying a noun (この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない), an adjective or verb (この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なく), or a whole clause (ことこの<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない).

<div class="pullquote">
Nothing is above this – it is the absolute peak of whatever you are describing.
</div>

## How to form ことこの<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない / この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない / この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なく

Each version has a slightly different attachment, but all rest on the core image of “nothing above this.”

<div class="formation">
  <div class="ftoken t-stem">Verb (plain form) / Adjective clause</div>
  <div class="fplus">+</div>
  <div class="ftoken t-core">ことこの<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない</div>
</div>

<div class="formation">
  <div class="ftoken t-stem">な-adjective (な) / Noun</div>
  <div class="fplus">+</div>
  <div class="ftoken t-core">この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない</div>
  <div class="farrow">→</div>
  <div class="ftoken t-conn">modifies a noun</div>
</div>

<div class="formation">
  <div class="ftoken t-stem">い-adjective (stem) / Verb (て-form)</div>
  <div class="fplus">+</div>
  <div class="ftoken t-core">この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なく</div>
  <div class="farrow">→</div>
  <div class="ftoken t-conn">modifies a verb or adjective</div>
</div>

Examples of the patterns:
- お<ruby>会い<rp>(</rp><rt>あい</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>できた**ことこの<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない**<ruby>喜び<rp>(</rp><rt>よろこび</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>です。
- **この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない**<ruby>幸せ<rp>(</rp><rt>しあわせ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>を<ruby>感じる<rp>(</rp><rt>かんじる</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>。
- **この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なく**<ruby>美しい<rp>(</rp><rt>うつくしい</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby><ruby>景色<rp>(</rp><rt>けしき</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>だ。

In JLPT questions, an incorrect answer will often contain a grammatically similar phrase where the word class or the following element doesn’t match the form.

## When is ことこの<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない / この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない / この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なく used?

Use these patterns in situations like:
- expressing an emotion that you think cannot be exceeded (joy, regret, gratitude)
- delivering a formal compliment or a heartfelt letter
- making a superlative statement without using いちばん or もっとも
- emphasizing the extremity of a state in essays or literary prose

Tone and register:
- Formal, written, often emotional.
- この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なく is the most common adverbial form in speech-like writing; ことこの<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない appears mainly in careful prose and set phrases.

## ことこの<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない / この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない / この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なく example sentences

<div class="examples">
  <div class="example">
    <div class="example-jp"><span class="furi">問題</span>が<span class="furi">解</span>けたことこの<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない<span class="furi">嬉</span>しさだ。</div>
    <div class="example-en">There is no greater joy than solving this problem.</div>
    <div class="example-foot"><span class="example-tag">nominalised clause</span></div>
  </div>
  <div class="example">
    <div class="example-jp"><span class="furi">皆様</span>にお<span class="furi">会</span>いできたことは、この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない<span class="furi">喜</span>びです。</div>
    <div class="example-en">Being able to meet all of you is the greatest joy.</div>
    <div class="example-foot"><span class="example-tag">honorific / formal</span></div>
  </div>
  <div class="example">
    <div class="example-jp">この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない<span class="furi">絶景</span>を<span class="furi">前</span>にして、<span class="furi">言葉</span>をなくした。</div>
    <div class="example-en">Faced with the most magnificent scenery, I was lost for words.</div>
    <div class="example-foot"><span class="example-tag">noun modifier</span></div>
  </div>
  <div class="example">
    <div class="example-jp">あの<span class="furi">失敗</span>は、<ruby>私<rp>(</rp><rt>わたくし</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>にとってこの<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない<span class="furi">教訓</span>となった。</div>
    <div class="example-en">That failure became the most valuable lesson for me.</div>
    <div class="example-foot"><span class="example-tag">abstract noun</span></div>
  </div>
  <div class="example">
    <div class="example-jp"><span class="furi">鈴木</span><span class="furi">氏</span>の<span class="furi">提案</span>は、この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なく<span class="furi">合理的</span>だ。</div>
    <div class="example-en">Mr. Suzuki’s proposal is exceptionally reasonable.</div>
    <div class="example-foot"><span class="example-tag">adverbial</span></div>
  </div>
  <div class="example">
    <div class="example-jp">あの<span class="furi">演奏</span>はこの<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なく<span class="furi">感動的</span>で、<span class="furi">涙</span>が<ruby>止まら<rp>(</rp><rt>とまら</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なかった。</div>
    <div class="example-en">That performance was so overwhelmingly moving I couldn’t stop crying.</div>
    <div class="example-foot"><span class="example-tag">na-adjective modified</span></div>
  </div>
</div>

After reading each sentence, ask what is being placed at the absolute top – an emotion, a quality, a result. That lets you internalize the nuance better than any single translation.

## Nuance of ことこの<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない / この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない / この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なく

The key nuance is **nothing can be above this moment, state, or degree**. The grammar doesn’t just say “very”; it claims there is no higher point.

This matters because learners sometimes treat it as a simple intensifier. In fact, it carries a subjective judgement that the speaker considers the situation to be at its limit.  
- When you say この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なく<ruby>美しい<rp>(</rp><rt>うつくしい</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>, you are making a personal declaration that nothing you have ever seen surpasses this beauty.  
- When you choose ことこの<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない, you are wrapping an entire event into that evaluation – the event itself becomes the unrivalled thing.

Compared with a plain superlative like <ruby>最高<rp>(</rp><rt>さいこう</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に, this pattern feels more formal and often more heartfelt. It shows an active choice to declare something unsurpassable, not just to describe it.

<div class="note-callout">
  <div class="note-icon">⚠</div>
  <div class="note-body">
    Although it is emphatic, Japanese still avoids overstatement. Use this pattern only when you truly mean the limit – otherwise it can sound unnatural.
  </div>
</div>

## ことこの<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない / この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない / この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なく vs <ruby>何<rp>(</rp><rt>なん</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>よりも

Both expressions can be translated as “more than anything”, but their focus differs.

<div class="compare">
  <div class="cmp a">
    <div class="cmp-head">この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない / この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なく</div>
    <div class="cmp-sub">declares an absolute ceiling</div>
    <div class="cmp-when">When you present a quality or event as the highest possible point.</div>
    <div class="cmp-eg">この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない<ruby>名誉<rp>(</rp><rt>めいよ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>だ。</div>
    <div class="cmp-eg-en">It is the greatest honour (nothing above it).</div>
  </div>
  <div class="vs">VS</div>
  <div class="cmp b">
    <div class="cmp-head"><ruby>何<rp>(</rp><rt>なん</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>よりも</div>
    <div class="cmp-sub">ranks one thing above others</div>
    <div class="cmp-when">When you compare a specific item against a set of alternatives.</div>
    <div class="cmp-eg"><ruby>何<rp>(</rp><rt>なん</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>よりも<ruby>健康<rp>(</rp><rt>けんこう</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>が<ruby>大切<rp>(</rp><rt>たいせつ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>だ。</div>
    <div class="cmp-eg-en">Health is more important than anything else.</div>
  </div>
</div>

Quick contrast:
- この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない = the peak itself, no comparison needed.
- <ruby>何<rp>(</rp><rt>なん</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>よりも = prioritising one thing over other candidates.

If both seem possible, check whether the sentence is stating an absolute extreme or choosing from a list. The former demands この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない / この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なく; the latter, <ruby>何<rp>(</rp><rt>なん</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>よりも.

## Common mistakes with ことこの<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない / この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない / この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なく

<div class="mistakes">
  <div class="mistake">
    <div class="mline">
      <div class="mark bad">❌</div>
      <div class="mline-body">この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない<ruby>美しい<rp>(</rp><rt>うつくしい</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby><ruby>景色<rp>(</rp><rt>けしき</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>だ。</div>
    </div>
    <div class="note">Using この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない directly before an i-adjective is ungrammatical; you need the adverbial form この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なく.</div>
    <div class="mline">
      <div class="mark good">✅</div>
      <div class="mline-body">この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なく<ruby>美しい<rp>(</rp><rt>うつくしい</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby><ruby>景色<rp>(</rp><rt>けしき</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>だ。</div>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="mistake">
    <div class="mline">
      <div class="mark bad">❌</div>
      <div class="mline-body"><ruby>会える<rp>(</rp><rt>あえる</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ことこの<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない。</div>
    </div>
    <div class="note">The nominalised clause must be fully formed with the correct tense; a plain non-past verb before ことこの<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない feels incomplete in this construction.</div>
    <div class="mline">
      <div class="mark good">✅</div>
      <div class="mline-body"><ruby>会え<rp>(</rp><rt>あえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>たことこの<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない<ruby>喜び<rp>(</rp><rt>よろこび</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>です。</div>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="mistake">
    <div class="mline">
      <div class="mark bad">❌</div>
      <div class="mline-body">この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない<ruby>悲しかっ<rp>(</rp><rt>かなしかっ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>た。</div>
    </div>
    <div class="note">Treating the phrase as a substitute for a simple past adjective. It must always modify something, not stand alone as a predicate without a noun.</div>
    <div class="mline">
      <div class="mark good">✅</div>
      <div class="mline-body">この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない<ruby>悲しみ<rp>(</rp><rt>かなしみ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>を<ruby>味わっ<rp>(</rp><rt>あじわっ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>た。</div>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>

A reliable technique: when you’re unsure, build the sentence with ことこの<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない or この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なく first, then add the noun or adjective it modifies. That forces the correct part-of-speech selection.

## Is ことこの<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない / この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない / この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なく on the JLPT?

<div class="jlpt-card">
  <div class="jlpt-shield">N1</div>
  <div class="jlpt-info">
    <div class="jlpt-checks">
      <div>📖 Reading comprehension</div>
      <div>🗣️ Sentence building</div>
      <div>📝 Formal expressions</div>
    </div>
    <p>Yes. <strong>この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない</strong> and its variants are regularly tested as N1 grammar. Questions often check whether you can recognise the adverbial vs attributive form, or distinguish it from other extreme-degree patterns like <strong><ruby>極まる<rp>(</rp><rt>きわまる</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby></strong> or <strong><ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>だ</strong>.</p>
  </div>
</div>

For test preparation, practice transforming a plain adjective sentence into one with この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なく, then into a ことこの<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない sentence. That shows you control the structural switch rather than just memorising translations.

## Practice questions for ことこの<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない / この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない / この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なく

<div class="prompts">
  <div class="prompt">
    <div class="prompt-num">1</div>
    <div class="prompt-text">Rewrite “この<ruby>景色<rp>(</rp><rt>けしき</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>は<ruby>非常<rp>(</rp><rt>ひじょう</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に<ruby>美しい<rp>(</rp><rt>うつくしい</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>” using この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なく.</div>
    <div class="prompt-tag">adverbial form</div>
  </div>
  <div class="prompt">
    <div class="prompt-num">2</div>
    <div class="prompt-text">Describe the greatest honour in your life with この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない.</div>
    <div class="prompt-tag">noun modifier</div>
  </div>
  <div class="prompt">
    <div class="prompt-num">3</div>
    <div class="prompt-text">Create a sentence where you use ことこの<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない to express that nothing makes you happier than a certain event.</div>
    <div class="prompt-tag">clause nominalisation</div>
  </div>
  <div class="prompt">
    <div class="prompt-num">4</div>
    <div class="prompt-text">Compare your sentence from prompt 3 with one using <ruby>何<rp>(</rp><rt>なん</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>よりも. Explain how the nuance shifts.</div>
    <div class="prompt-tag">comparison</div>
  </div>
</div>

## Learning path for ことこの<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない / この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない / この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なく

<div class="path">
  <div class="path-step">
    <div class="step-num">1</div>
    <div class="step-body">Memorise the literal image: この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby> (“above this”) + ない (“there is not”) → “nothing surpasses this”. Picture a stack of experiences and the described one sitting on the very top.</div>
  </div>
  <div class="path-step">
    <div class="step-num">2</div>
    <div class="step-body">Master the three forms: この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない (modifier), この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なく (adverb), and ことこの<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない (nominalised event). Practice with a few adjectives and verbs you use frequently.</div>
  </div>
  <div class="path-step">
    <div class="step-num">3</div>
    <div class="step-body">Compare with <strong><ruby>何<rp>(</rp><rt>なん</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>よりも</strong> and <strong><ruby>極まる<rp>(</rp><rt>きわまる</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby></strong> so you feel the difference between a ranking and a declaration of an absolute limit.</div>
  </div>
  <div class="path-step">
    <div class="step-num">4</div>
    <div class="step-body">Write a short formal message (e.g., a thank‑you note) that contains この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない or この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なく. Reading it aloud helps the tone stick.</div>
  </div>
  <div class="path-step">
    <div class="step-num">5</div>
    <div class="step-body">Finally, read essays or formal letters in N1 prep materials and underline every occurrence of these patterns. Note what kind of nouns and adjectives they combine with.</div>
  </div>
</div>

## Related grammar to review next

The following grammar points share the formal, clause‑nominalising side common to advanced こと patterns:

- [こと<ruby>如く<rp>(</rp><rt>ごとく</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>](/blog/n1-koto-gotoku/) – “as if; just like …” introduces a similar level of formality and is often used in written Japanese.
- [こともあって](/blog/n1-koto-mo-atte/) – “partly because …” also hinges on こと to nominalise a reason, giving a subjective, formal explanation.
- [ことなしに](/blog/n1-koto-nashi-ni/) – “without doing …” shows the negative of a nominalised action, a natural counterpart to the superlative declarations made with この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない.
- [ことのないように](/blog/n1-koto-no-nai-you-ni/) – “so as not to …” also uses a similar negative nominalised structure, often seen in warnings and formal requests.

## Learn ことこの<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない / この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ない / この<ruby>上<rp>(</rp><rt>うえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>なく with Hane

When you’re ready to lock in these patterns alongside other N1 grammar, Hane lets you practise in short, focused sessions that reinforce form, nuance, and comparison.

Browse more lessons here:
- [All grammar lessons](/blog/)
- [JLPT N1 grammar lessons](/blog/n1/)