〜ばそれまでだ
N1ba 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
- どんなに高価な機械でも、壊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。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。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
〜たら最後 / 〜が最後〜と相まって〜ともなると / 〜ともなれば〜(よ)うものなら〜に至る / 〜に至って / 〜に至っては〜あっての〜いかんで / 〜いかんによらず〜(よ)うが〜まいが / 〜(よ)うと〜まいと
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"
}
}