the height of; the extreme of

の極み means the utmost degree of something, usually an emotion or state. Attach it to a noun. It is formal and emphatic, expressing that something has reached its absolute peak.

Examples

• こんなに歓迎かんげいしていただき、感激かんげきの極きわみです。

  Konna ni kangei shite itadaki, kangeki no kiwami desu.

  To be welcomed like this is the height of joy.

• 連日れんじつの残業ざんぎょうで、疲労ひろうの極きわみに達たっしていた。

  Renjitsu no zangyou de, hirou no kiwami ni tasshite ita.

  From days of overtime, I had reached the extreme of exhaustion.

Vocabulary in these examples

• する to do
• いただく to receive (humble)
• 感激 being deeply moved
• 残業 overtime work
• 疲労 fatigue
• いる to exist (animate); to be

Related patterns · Extremity and degree

• 〜の至り the height of; utmost
• 〜限りだ extremely; couldn't be more
• 〜極まりない extremely; utterly
• 〜に堪えない cannot bear to; not worth
• 〜に足る worth; enough to