Japanese grammar
What does ～までもなく mean? Japanese grammar N1
～までもなく means needless to say; without needing to go as far as….
| Level (estimated, JLPT framework) | N1 |
|---|---|
| Structure | 動詞 辞書形 + までもなく |
| Romaji | mademonaku |
| Meaning | needless to say; without needing to go as far as… |
Forming it
| Verb (saying) | 言う + までもなく |
|---|---|
| Verb (checking) | 確認する + までもなく |
How to use it
States that something is so obvious there's no need to go so far as to do A. Formal.
- 「～までもなく」 = "no need to go so far as to do A (because it's already quite obvious)". 「言うまでもなく」 = needless to say, obviously.
- A is an action that would normally be done, but isn't necessary because it's already clear/doesn't go that far.
- Close to 「までもない」 (sentence-final); 「までもなく」 connects mid-sentence.
Examples
言うまでもなく、健康は何より大切だ。
Needless to say, health is more important than anything.
わざわざ確認するまでもなく、答えは明らかだ。
There’s no need to check; the answer is obvious.
Keep in mind
- Dictionary form of a verb + までもなく.
- 「言うまでもなく」 is a commonly seen phrase.
Common mistakes
-
Wrong難しい問題は、言うまでもなく解いた。
Needless to say, effort is important.
Correct言うまでもなく、努力は大切だ。
「までもなく」 states something OBVIOUS that needs no explanation; it is not used for an action that was actually carried out.
-
Wrong医者に行くまでもなく、ひどい風邪だ。
No need to see a doctor — I have a bad cold.
Correct医者に行くまでもなく、すぐ治った。
「までもなく」 = there's no NEED to go that far; the following clause must be consistent with 'no need'.
Exam tips
- 「までもなく」 = no need to go that far (because it's already clear); 「言うまでもなく」 = obviously, needless to say.