ないまでも

Meaning & usage

May not ~ but; even though ~ not; although ~ not | An adverbial phrase expressing the speaker’s feeling that although an ideal action or state isn’t possible, at least the next best action or state is or should be available.

Example sentences 10

1. 「生命とはこういうものです」とは言えないまでも、「少なくともこうではありません」とは言えるようになってくるはずだ。

   We may not be able to say, “This is what life is,” but we should come to a point where we can say, “At least this is what it isn't.”

2. この公演は大成功とは言えないまでも、それなりの成果をもたらした。

   Although you may not be able to call this public performance a great success, it produced results of a sort.

3. その彫刻は完璧とは言えないまでも、非常に可能性を感じさせる作品だった。

   The sculpture may not be called a perfect work, but it is (literally: was) a work that makes you feel unusual potential.

4. インターネットは完璧ではないまでも、生涯学習もしくは生涯教育のメディアとして、いろいろな可能性をもっています。

   The Internet is not perfect, but it does have various possibilities as a medium for lifelong learning and/or teaching.

5. 中国語は漢字だから、読めないまでも意味はなんとなく分かるのだが、韓国語はまったく見当がつかない。

   If it were written in Chinese I could get a sense of what it's saying because of the characters, even though I cannot read it, but I cannot make heads or tails of Korean.

6. 彼の論文は決して多くないまでも、その質は非常に高い。

   Although he hasn't published many papers at all, the quality (of those he has published) is extremely high.

7. 彼は正直者じゃないまでも、嘘つきじゃない。

   He may not be an honest person, but he isn't a liar.

8. 明日は天気がよくないまでも、気温はあまり低くなりません。

   Although the weather may not be good, the temperature will not drop much.

9. 虚偽だとは言わないまでも、かなり紛らわしい表現だ。

   I can't go so far as to call this wording deceptive, but it sure is misleading.

10. 運命には逆らえないまでも、それを味方にすることはできる。

    We may not be able to go against fate, but we can make it our ally.