# を限りに: starting from; the last time (ending a continued action)

> Learn how to use を限りに, a JLPT N1 grammar point meaning 'as of' or 'this will be the last', with structure, examples, comparisons and common mistakes.

JLPT level: N1 · Updated: 2026-05-18 · Canonical: https://hane-app.com/blog/n1-o-kagiri-ni/

**を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に** means **as of; starting from; the last time (ending a continued action)**. It is a **JLPT N1** Japanese grammar pattern used to declare the definitive end of something that has been ongoing.

This grammar point often appears in speeches, formal announcements, emotional farewells, and JLPT N1 reading passages. If you want to state that something will stop after a specific moment—often with a sense of finality or nostalgia—**を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に** is indispensable because it conveys not just a schedule, but an emotional boundary.

## What does を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に mean?

Use **を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に** when you want to mark the very last instance of a continued action, state, or habit. After that point, the action will not resume.

Natural translations include:
- as of; starting from; this will be the last …

The best translation depends on the sentence. Try to notice the speaker’s intent — is it a personal decision, a formal notice, or a dramatic announcement? — then choose the English phrase that preserves that weight.

## How to form を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に

Attach **を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に** directly to a noun that names a time, event, or performance — the very thing that will be the last.

<div class="formation">
  <span class="ftoken t-stem">Noun</span>
  <span class="fplus">＋</span>
  <span class="ftoken t-core">を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に</span>
</div>

<div class="formula">
  <code>N + を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に</code>
</div>

Typical nouns:
- <span class="ftoken t-stem"><ruby>今日<rp>(</rp><rt>きょう</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby></span> (today)
- <span class="ftoken t-stem"><ruby>今回<rp>(</rp><rt>こんかい</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby></span> (this time)
- <span class="ftoken t-stem">この<ruby>曲<rp>(</rp><rt>きょく</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby></span> (this song)
- <span class="ftoken t-stem"><ruby>今年度<rp>(</rp><rt>こんねんど</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby></span> (this fiscal year)

The noun must be the specific “last” item. Avoid using it with a future date that marks the *beginning* of something new — that’s a common mistake.

## When is を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に used?

Use **を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に** in situations like:
- announcing retirement, disbanding, or leaving an organization
- declaring the end of a personal habit (quitting smoking, drinking, etc.)
- marking the final performance, concert, or publication
- formal public notices (service termination, store closure)

Tone and register:
- formal to neutral; often written or spoken in public addresses
- carries emotional weight: sadness, determination, or nostalgia
- not used in casual daily chatter; you wouldn’t say “<ruby>今日<rp>(</rp><rt>きょう</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に<ruby>晩ごはん<rp>(</rp><rt>ばんごはん</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby><ruby>抜き<rp>(</rp><rt>ぬき</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>にする” lightly without sounding overly dramatic

## を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に example sentences

<div class="examples">
  <div class="example">
    <div class="example-jp">
      <ruby>今日<rt>きょう</rt></ruby>を<ruby>限<rt>かぎ</rt></ruby>りに、タバコをやめます。
    </div>
    <div class="example-en">As of today, I’m quitting smoking.</div>
    <div class="example-foot">
      <span class="example-tag">personal decision</span>
    </div>
  </div>

  <div class="example">
    <div class="example-jp">
      <ruby>今学期<rt>こんがっき</rt></ruby>を<ruby>限<rt>かぎ</rt></ruby>りに、<ruby>大学<rt>だいがく</rt></ruby>を<ruby>辞<rt>や</rt></ruby>めることにした。
    </div>
    <div class="example-en">I’ve decided to leave university at the end of this semester.</div>
    <div class="example-foot">
      <span class="example-tag">life change</span>
    </div>
  </div>

  <div class="example">
    <div class="example-jp">
      <ruby>今回<rt>こんかい</rt></ruby>を<ruby>限<rt>かぎ</rt></ruby>りに、このサービスは<ruby>終了<rt>しゅうりょう</rt></ruby>となります。
    </div>
    <div class="example-en">This service will be discontinued as of this occasion.</div>
    <div class="example-foot">
      <span class="example-tag">formal announcement</span>
    </div>
  </div>

  <div class="example">
    <div class="example-jp">
      <ruby>彼<rt>かれ</rt></ruby>は<ruby>声<rt>こえ</rt></ruby>を<ruby>限<rt>かぎ</rt></ruby>りに<ruby>叫<rt>さけ</rt></ruby>んだ。
    </div>
    <div class="example-en">He shouted at the top of his lungs.</div>
    <div class="example-foot">
      <span class="example-tag">set phrase</span>
    </div>
  </div>

  <div class="example">
    <div class="example-jp">
      この<ruby>曲<rt>きょく</rt></ruby>を<ruby>限<rt>かぎ</rt></ruby>りに、バンドは<ruby>活動<rt>かつどう</rt></ruby>を<ruby>停止<rt>ていし</rt></ruby>する。
    </div>
    <div class="example-en">After this song, the band will cease all activities.</div>
    <div class="example-foot">
      <span class="example-tag">farewell</span>
    </div>
  </div>

  <div class="example">
    <div class="example-jp">
      <ruby>今年度<rt>こんねんど</rt></ruby>を<ruby>限<rt>かぎ</rt></ruby>りに、<ruby>補助金<rt>ほじょきん</rt></ruby>は<ruby>打<rt>う</rt></ruby>ち<ruby>切<rt>き</rt></ruby>られます。
    </div>
    <div class="example-en">The subsidy will be cut off at the end of this fiscal year.</div>
    <div class="example-foot">
      <span class="example-tag">official notice</span>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>

After reading each sentence, notice that **を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に** always points to the *final* occurrence. The event or state stops there; it won’t continue beyond that noun.

## Nuance of を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に

The key nuance is **a definitive endpoint loaded with finality**.

Beyond the dictionary meaning, this grammar pattern implies:
- a long-running situation is coming to a close
- the speaker has resolved to let go
- often, there’s an undercurrent of emotion — relief, sorrow, or dramatic emphasis

Think of it as drawing a line in the sand. It is not a neutral “until” or “from.” When a singer says “この<ruby>歌<rp>(</rp><rt>うた</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に<ruby>引退<rp>(</rp><rt>いんたい</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>します,” it’s not just a schedule change; it’s a curtain call with emotional weight.

## を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に vs をもって

Both **を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に** and **をもって** mark a boundary, but their tones differ sharply.

<div class="compare">
  <div class="cmp a">
    <div class="cmp-head">を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に</div>
    <div class="cmp-sub">emotional, personal, or dramatic</div>
    <div class="cmp-when">Used when the speaker wants to emphasise that something is ending forever.</div>
    <div class="cmp-eg">
      <span class="example-jp"><ruby>今日<rp>(</rp><rt>きょう</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>にタバコをやめます。</span>
    </div>
    <div class="cmp-eg-en">I quit smoking as of today — and I mean it.</div>
  </div>
  <div class="vs">vs</div>
  <div class="cmp b">
    <div class="cmp-head">をもって</div>
    <div class="cmp-sub">formal, procedural</div>
    <div class="cmp-when">Common in business: a store closes, a title is conferred, a deadline is set.</div>
    <div class="cmp-eg">
      <span class="example-jp"><ruby>本日<rp>(</rp><rt>ほんじつ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>をもって<ruby>閉店<rp>(</rp><rt>へいてん</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>いたします。</span>
    </div>
    <div class="cmp-eg-en">We are closing as of today (official notice).</div>
  </div>
</div>

If you want to sound like a corporate notice, pick をもって. If you want to sound like a heartfelt declaration, pick を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に.

## Common mistakes with を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に

Watch out for these traps:

<div class="mistakes">
  <div class="mistake">
    <div class="mline">
      <div class="mark bad">❌</div>
      <div class="mline-body"><ruby>来月<rp>(</rp><rt>らいげつ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に<ruby>新しい<rp>(</rp><rt>あたらしい</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby><ruby>仕事<rp>(</rp><rt>しごと</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>を<ruby>始め<rp>(</rp><rt>はじめ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ます。</div>
      <div class="mark good">✅</div>
      <div class="mline-body"><ruby>来月<rp>(</rp><rt>らいげつ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>から<ruby>新しい<rp>(</rp><rt>あたらしい</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby><ruby>仕事<rp>(</rp><rt>しごと</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>を<ruby>始め<rp>(</rp><rt>はじめ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ます。</div>
    </div>
    <div class="note">「を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に」marks the *end* of something, not the start. Use it only for the final occurrence.</div>
  </div>

  <div class="mistake">
    <div class="mline">
      <div class="mark bad">❌</div>
      <div class="mline-body">この<ruby>店<rp>(</rp><rt>みせ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>は<ruby>水曜日<rp>(</rp><rt>すいようひ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に<ruby>休み<rp>(</rp><rt>やすみ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>ます。</div>
      <div class="mark good">✅</div>
      <div class="mline-body">この<ruby>店<rp>(</rp><rt>みせ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>は<ruby>水曜日<rp>(</rp><rt>すいようひ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>をもって<ruby>閉店<rp>(</rp><rt>へいてん</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>します。</div>
    </div>
    <div class="note">For a single day of the week in a formal notice, をもって is more natural. を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に implies the end of a continuing state, not a weekly routine.</div>
  </div>

  <div class="mistake">
    <div class="mline">
      <div class="mark bad">❌</div>
      <div class="mline-body"><ruby>毎日<rp>(</rp><rt>まいにち</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>にジョギングしている。</div>
      <div class="mark good">✅</div>
      <div class="mline-body"><ruby>今日<rp>(</rp><rt>きょう</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>にジョギングをやめる。</div>
    </div>
    <div class="note">You cannot use it for an ongoing habit; it must be the *last* time.</div>
  </div>
</div>

A helpful drill: replace the noun with “for the last time” in English. If the sentence still makes sense, を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に is likely correct.

## Is を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に on the JLPT?

<div class="jlpt-card">
  <div class="jlpt-shield">N1</div>
  <div class="jlpt-info">
    <p><strong>を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に</strong> is officially classified as <strong>JLPT N1</strong> grammar.</p>
    <div class="jlpt-checks">
      <p>At the N1 level, you should be able to:</p>
      <ul>
        <li>recognize it in newspaper editorials, speeches, and formal writing</li>
        <li>understand its emotional finality in context</li>
        <li>distinguish it from をもって and other boundary markers</li>
      </ul>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>

In the exam, it often appears in reading comprehension questions that test whether you grasp the nuance of an announcement or a personal letter. Don’t rely on a one-word translation — the test checks if you feel the weight of “this is the end.”

## Practice questions for を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に

Try making your own sentences with these prompts:

<div class="prompts">
  <div class="prompt">
    <span class="prompt-num">1</span>
    <div class="prompt-text">Write a sentence about a habit you want to quit <strong>as of today</strong>. Use を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に and an appropriate time noun.</div>
    <span class="prompt-tag">personal goal</span>
  </div>

  <div class="prompt">
    <span class="prompt-num">2</span>
    <div class="prompt-text">A musician is performing for the last time. Announce her retirement using を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に and a noun like “this stage” or “this song.”</div>
    <span class="prompt-tag">farewell</span>
  </div>

  <div class="prompt">
    <span class="prompt-num">3</span>
    <div class="prompt-text">Replace をもって with を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に in a formal notice. How does the nuance change? Write both versions.</div>
    <span class="prompt-tag">comparison</span>
  </div>
</div>

Keep your first sentences simple — e.g., <ruby>今年<rp>(</rp><rt>ことし</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に…… — then build toward full announcements.

## Learning path for を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に

To master **を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に**, focus on boundaries, not lists.

<div class="path">
  <div class="path-step">
    <span class="step-num">1</span>
    <div class="step-body">Memorise the formation: <strong>N + を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に</strong>. Use a few time nouns (<ruby>今日<rp>(</rp><rt>きょう</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>, <ruby>今回<rp>(</rp><rt>こんかい</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>, <ruby>今<rp>(</rp><rt>こん</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby><ruby>学期<rp>(</rp><rt>がっき</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>) and form simple declarations.</div>
  </div>
  <div class="path-step">
    <span class="step-num">2</span>
    <div class="step-body">Compare side by side with <strong>をもって</strong>. Find real examples — news headlines, company tweets — and classify each as “emotional boundary” or “procedural boundary.”</div>
  </div>
  <div class="path-step">
    <span class="step-num">3</span>
    <div class="step-body">Watch speeches or interviews where people announce life changes. Listen for を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に and note the speaker’s face and tone. That emotional memory will lock in the nuance.</div>
  </div>
  <div class="path-step">
    <span class="step-num">4</span>
    <div class="step-body">Write three original sentences: one personal, one as a public figure, and one formal business notice. In the business version, decide whether を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に or をもって is better, and why.</div>
  </div>
</div>

## Related grammar to review next

- [を<ruby>踏まえ<rp>(</rp><rt>ふまえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>て](/blog/n1-o-fumaete/) — another formal boundary marker, but used when building on prior information or circumstances
- [を<ruby>経<rp>(</rp><rt>へ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>て](/blog/n1-o-hete/) — marks a path or process after which something happens; contrasts with the abrupt finality of を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に
- [を<ruby>控え<rp>(</rp><rt>ひかえ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>て](/blog/n1-o-hikaete/) — expresses that a big event is just ahead; opposite in direction — looking forward, not ending
- [をいいことに](/blog/n1-o-ii-koto-ni/) — “taking advantage of the fact that”; useful to compare because it also attaches to a noun but expresses exploitation, not closure

## Learn を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に with Hane

If you want to review **を<ruby>限り<rp>(</rp><rt>かぎり</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>に** together with the related patterns above, Hane helps you practice Japanese in short, focused sessions.

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