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SILVER ERA · ことばを、少しずつ。
JLPT BANDN5 BEGINNER → N1 ADVANCED

〜ばそれまでだ

N1
ba sore made da

if ..., that's the end of it; it's all for nothing if

Formation

Verb-ba + それまでだ

Chinese meanings

一旦……就完了;说成……就到此为止

Chinese formation

动词ば形+それまでだ

Chinese usage

表示发生前项后努力付诸东流,或一句话结束讨论。

Chinese notes

常与てしまえば连用。

Examples

  • どんなに高こう価かな機き械かいでも、壊こわれてしまえばそれまでだ。
    No matter how expensive a machine is, once it breaks, that's the end of it.
    再贵的机器,一旦坏了也就完了。
  • いくら準じゅん備びをしても、本ほん番ばんで緊きん張ちょうして何なにも言いえなければそれまでだ。
    However much you prepare, if you freeze up and can't say anything on the day, it's all for nothing.
    准备再充分,正式上场时紧张得说不出话也就白费了。
  • 運うんが悪わるかったと言いってしまえばそれまでだが、防ふせげた事じ故こだったのではないか。
    You could just call it bad luck and leave it at that, but wasn't this an accident that could have been prevented?
    说一句运气不好就完了,但这事故原本不是可以避免吗?

Notes

Two uses: all effort is wasted if X happens; or 〜と言ってしまえばそれまでだ, 'saying X ends the discussion (but ...)'. Often with 〜てしまえば.

#condition#result

Related N1 grammar

Suggest an improvement

Use this entry in code
import { getGrammarById } from 'kotowa';
getGrammarById('ba-sore-made-da');
{
  "id": "ba-sore-made-da",
  "pattern": "〜ばそれまでだ",
  "romaji": "ba sore made da",
  "level": "N1",
  "meaning": "if ..., that's the end of it; it's all for nothing if",
  "formation": "Verb-ba + それまでだ",
  "examples": [
    {
      "ja": "どんなに高価な機械でも、壊れてしまえばそれまでだ。",
      "furigana": "どんなに{高価|こうか}な{機械|きかい}でも、{壊|こわ}れてしまえばそれまでだ。",
      "en": "No matter how expensive a machine is, once it breaks, that's the end of it."
    },
    {
      "ja": "いくら準備をしても、本番で緊張して何も言えなければそれまでだ。",
      "furigana": "いくら{準備|じゅんび}をしても、{本番|ほんばん}で{緊張|きんちょう}して{何|なに}も{言|い}えなければそれまでだ。",
      "en": "However much you prepare, if you freeze up and can't say anything on the day, it's all for nothing."
    },
    {
      "ja": "運が悪かったと言ってしまえばそれまでだが、防げた事故だったのではないか。",
      "furigana": "{運|うん}が{悪|わる}かったと{言|い}ってしまえばそれまでだが、{防|ふせ}げた{事故|じこ}だったのではないか。",
      "en": "You could just call it bad luck and leave it at that, but wasn't this an accident that could have been prevented?"
    }
  ],
  "tags": [
    "condition",
    "result"
  ],
  "notes": "Two uses: all effort is wasted if X happens; or 〜と言ってしまえばそれまでだ, 'saying X ends the discussion (but ...)'. Often with 〜てしまえば.",
  "zh": {
    "status": "reviewed",
    "source_hash": "7de5a12b766107c482d9af5fd54769e4125e643e972b6c9d59a826422a5f55de",
    "meanings": [
      "一旦……就完了",
      "说成……就到此为止"
    ],
    "formation": "动词ば形+それまでだ",
    "explanation": "表示发生前项后努力付诸东流,或一句话结束讨论。",
    "notes": "常与てしまえば连用。",
    "examples": [
      {
        "ja": "どんなに高価な機械でも、壊れてしまえばそれまでだ。",
        "zh": "再贵的机器,一旦坏了也就完了。"
      },
      {
        "ja": "いくら準備をしても、本番で緊張して何も言えなければそれまでだ。",
        "zh": "准备再充分,正式上场时紧张得说不出话也就白费了。"
      },
      {
        "ja": "運が悪かったと言ってしまえばそれまでだが、防げた事故だったのではないか。",
        "zh": "说一句运气不好就完了,但这事故原本不是可以避免吗?"
      }
    ],
    "references": [
      "sources/grammar/n1.json#ba-sore-made-da",
      "Original Chinese authored and reviewed by Codex; no independent human review"
    ],
    "reviewer": "Codex",
    "review_method": "ai",
    "reviewed_at": "2026-10-28",
    "review_hash": "577d89fb153ba45511b1d675b69163d5447e3a63aeb9debfec7b3484fb71ce36"
  }
}