What does ～までもない mean? Japanese grammar N1

Forming it

How to use it

Sentence-final: states that something doesn't reach the point of needing to do A (because it's simple/already obvious). Formal.

• 「～までもない」 = "it doesn't go so far as to need A / no need for A" (because it's simple, already obvious). Sentence-final.
• Different from 「までもなく」 (connects mid-sentence): 「までもない」 comes at the end of a sentence.
• Close to 「には及ばない」 (meaning a).

Examples

• こんな軽(かる)い傷(きず)なら、病院(びょういん)に行(い)くまでもない。

  For such a minor cut, there’s no need to go to the hospital.

• 結果(けっか)は見(み)るまでもない。

  There’s no need to even look at the result.

Keep in mind

• Dictionary form of a verb + までもない.
• Placed at the end of a sentence.

Common mistakes

• Wrong病院(びょういん)に行(い)くまでもない、重傷(じゅうしょう)だ。

  No need to go to the hospital — it's a serious injury.

  Correct病院(びょういん)に行(い)くまでもない、軽(かる)い傷(きず)だ。

  「までもない」 states something SIMPLE that doesn't need to go that far; the preceding context must fit (minor/simple).

• Wrong言(い)うまでもない、健康(けんこう)は大切(たいせつ)だ。

  Needless to say, health is important.

  Correct言(い)うまでもなく、健康(けんこう)は大切(たいせつ)だ。

  To CONNECT mid-sentence, use 「までもなく」; 「までもない」 goes at the END of a sentence.

Exam tips

• 「までもない」 = doesn't go so far as to need doing (sentence-final); to connect mid-sentence use 「までもなく」.

Related patterns

• ～までもなく
• ～には及ばない
• ～ことはない