Japanese grammar · no level in the source

〜どまりmeaning and usage

Meaning

As far as A; (up) until A. Marks the end or limit of something

How to form it

  • noun止まり（だ）
  • noun止まりのnoun

How it is used

After a noun: it goes as far as A and no further, often with a sense of 'only that far', as in 「課長止まり」 (never rising above section chief). It also says where a train or bus terminates.

Examples

  1. この電車は次の駅止まりです。

    This train terminates at the next station.

  2. 去年も今年も、うちのチームは三位止まりだった。

    Both last year and this year, our team got no higher than third place.

  3. あの二人は、ずっと友達止まりの関係だった。

    Those two never got beyond being friends.