末に details
write + (past) + after much X, finally — the result a long and effortful process arrived at
kaita sueni
after much X, finally — the result a long and effortful process arrived at
meaning: after much writing
さんざん迷ったすえに、青いほうを選んだ。
sanzan mayotta sueni, aoi hou o eranda.
I picked the blue one after much hesitating. neutral
あちこち探した末に、結局同じ店で買ったんだ。
achikochi sagashita sue ni, kekkyoku onaji mise de katta n da.
After hunting all over, I ended up buying it at the same shop after all. casual
- た-form
- noun
Examples
after much X, finally — a drawn-out effort or struggle ends in the stated result
さんざん迷ったすえに、青いほうを選んだ。
sanzan mayottasueni, aoi hou o eranda.
I picked the blue one after much hesitating. neutral
あちこち探した末に、結局同じ店で買ったんだ。
achikochi sagashita sue ni, kekkyoku onaji mise de katta n da.
After hunting all over, I ended up buying it at the same shop after all. casual
長時間の交渉の末に、両社は合意に達する運びとなりました。
choujikan no koushou no sue ni, ryousha wa goui ni tassuru hakobi to narimashita.
After long negotiations, the two companies have now reached an agreement. formal
Formation
{V-ta}すえにattaches to た-form{N}のすえにattaches to noun
Notes
交渉の末の合意. The main clause is always the point the
process arrived at, never an unrelated next event.
Related patterns
Similar
上で requires the first act to be a deliberate step whose RESULT informs the second (確認した上で決める), while 末に claims only that the second came at the end of a long or hard run and makes no such link — 迷った末に決めた is fine, ×迷った上で決めた is not.
Both mark what follows a preceding event, but とたんに needs the first event to be punctual and the second to follow within the instant, while 末に needs the first to have DURATION — 長時間考えた末に is normal, ×長時間考えたとたんに is not.
末に is neutral about how it turns out and routinely reports a good result (交渉の末に合意した), while あげく requires the outcome to be unwelcome — 迷ったあげく、いい席が取れた reads as sarcasm, not a report.