Meaning
遂 means to see something through — not just to finish, but to reach a definitive end after a long road. Whether the result is hard-won triumph or an unavoidable consequence, this kanji marks the point of no going back. In everyday Japanese, it surfaces most often as the adverb ついに (finally, at last) and the verb とげる (to accomplish).
The radical 辶 (しんにょう) gives 遂 its sense of movement — a path being traveled. The inner component once depicted an animal pressing forward along a route. Together they formed an image of completing a journey from start to finish, and that root meaning expanded into any act of bringing something to its ultimate conclusion, whether triumphant or grim.
ついに works for both outcomes. It can carry joy — 「遂に夢を叶えた」(we finally made it) — and dread — 「遂にその日が来た」(the day finally came). That emotional range sets 遂 apart from simpler finish-line vocabulary and makes it a go-to word in literature and formal writing.
遂 has 12 strokes and is a grade 8 Jōyō kanji. It sits at JLPT N1 — the top tier of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The on'yomi is スイ (SUI). It appears in Sino-Japanese compounds used in formal, legal, and organizational writing — the common thread being the deliberate execution or completion of something.
- 完遂 (kansui) — total accomplishment; the mission fully carried out, nothing left undone
- 遂行 (suikou) — execution, carrying out; standard vocabulary in business directives and military commands
- 未遂 (misui) — attempt (failed); the legal term for an incomplete crime, as in 殺人未遂 (attempted murder)
- 既遂 (kisui) — completed (crime); the legal counterpart to 未遂, meaning the offense was fully carried out
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
Two kun'yomi readings: と(げる) and つい.
とげる is a verb — "to accomplish, to bring to completion." Its most natural home is the compound 成し遂げる (nashitogeru). The なし prefix (from なす, to do) sharpens the meaning: not merely attempting something but actually pulling it off.
- 遂げる (togeru) — to accomplish, to see through to the end
- 成し遂げる (nashitogeru) — to accomplish something meaningful through sustained effort
- 志を遂げる (kokorozashi wo togeru) — to fulfill one's ambition
つい is an adverb. In practice it almost always appears as ついに, written in hiragana — signaling that a long-anticipated moment has finally arrived, for better or worse.
- 遂に (tsui ni) — finally, at last (almost always written as ついに in hiragana)
Common Words & Compounds
遂 spans several registers — personal achievement, formal execution, and legal terminology.
Achievement and Personal Accomplishment:
- 遂げる (togeru) — to accomplish, to see through to the end
- 成し遂げる (nashitogeru) — to carry something through; implies a hard-won result
- 目的を遂げる (mokuteki wo togeru) — to achieve one's objective
- 夢を遂げる (yume wo togeru) — to realize one's dream
Formal Execution and Completion:
- 完遂 (kansui) — complete accomplishment; total fulfillment of a task or mission
- 遂行 (suikou) — execution; widely used in business, military, and organizational contexts
- 任務遂行 (ninmu suikou) — mission execution, carrying out one's assigned duty
Legal Contexts:
- 未遂 (misui) — attempt (failed); legal term for an incomplete offense
- 既遂 (kisui) — completed (crime); a fully carried-out offense
- 殺人未遂 (satsujin misui) — attempted murder
Adverbial Use:
- ついに (tsui ni) — finally, at last; one of the most common ways 遂 appears in everyday Japanese, almost always in hiragana
Example Sentences
彼女は遂に夢を叶えた。
Kanojo wa tsui ni yume wo kanaeta.
She finally made her dream come true.
彼は長年の研究を遂げた。
Kare wa naganen no kenkyuu wo togeta.
He brought his years-long research to completion.
任務を完遂するために全力を尽くした。
Ninmu wo kansui suru tame ni zenryoku wo tsukushita.
I gave everything I had to see the mission through.
計画の遂行にはチームの協力が必要だ。
Keikaku no suikou ni wa chiimu no kyouryoku ga hitsuyou da.
Carrying out the plan requires the whole team pulling together.
容疑者は殺人未遂で逮捕された。
Yougisha wa satsujin misui de taiho sareta.
The suspect was arrested for attempted murder.
遂にプロジェクトが完成した。
Tsui ni purojekuto ga kansei shita.
The project is finally done.
彼女は困難を乗り越えて目標を成し遂げた。
Kanojo wa konnan wo norikoete mokuhyou wo nashitogeta.
She pushed through the obstacles and reached her goal.
何年もの努力の末、遂に成功を手にした。
Nannen mo no doryoku no sue, tsui ni seikou wo te ni shita.
After years of effort, success was finally within reach.
彼は志を遂げるために故郷を離れた。
Kare wa kokorozashi wo togeru tame ni kokyou wo hanareta.
He left his hometown to chase the ambition he'd carried for years.
Memory Tip
The 辶 radical means movement — a road being walked. Picture someone who set out on that road years ago, grinding through delays and setbacks, until the destination finally comes into view. That moment of arrival is 遂: とげる (to bring it home) and ついに (finally, after all this time). Long journey. Definitive end.