1.
until, to (time endpoint)
Marks the ending point in time. 五時まで働く (work until 5 o'clock), 明日まで (until tomorrow).
2.
to, as far as (spatial endpoint)
Marks the ending point in space. 駅まで歩く (walk to the station).
3.
even (emphasis)
Emphasizes an extreme or unexpected extent. 彼まで来た (even he came), 子供まで知っている (even children know).
4.
to the extent of
Indicates the degree to which something extends. 泣くまで笑った (laughed until [I] cried).
まで marks an endpoint or limit — in time, space, or degree.
Functions
- Time endpoint: the action runs up to that moment — 五時まで働く
- Spatial endpoint: motion or measurement reaches that far — 駅まで歩く
- "Even": the situation extends to a surprising case — 先生まで間違えた
- Degree: after a plain verb, the point something is carried to — 泣くまで笑った
Common patterns
- から...まで: from...to — 九時から五時まで
- までに: by (deadline) — 金曜日までに出す
- Plain verb + まで: until someone does something — 分かるまで
まで VS までに:
This is the commonest learner error with the particle, and the test is what kind of verb follows.
- まで takes an action that continues up to the limit: 五時まで待つ (wait until 5)
- までに takes a one-time action completed at some point before the limit: 五時までに出す (submit by 5)
- Plain に marks a point rather than a limit: 五時に終わる (finish at 5)
'EVEN' USAGE:
As "even", まで is stronger than も: も simply adds a case, while まで presents it as a surprising extreme.
VERB FORM BEFORE まで:
A verb before まで stays in the plain non-past form whatever the tense of the main clause: 泣くまで笑った (I laughed until I cried), never ×泣いたまで. The same holds for までに.