以来(いらい)

いらい
noun/adverb
since, ever since, henceforth
See also: 依頼(いらい) (request (依頼))
1. since, ever since
From a specific point in the past until now.
卒業(そつぎょう)以来(いらい)、会(あ)っていない。
I haven't seen them since graduation.
去年(きょねん)以来(いらい)のことだ。
It's the first time since last year.
子供(こども)の頃(ころ)以来(いらい)だ。
It's the first time since I was a child.
結婚(けっこん)以来(いらい)、幸(しあわ)せです。
I've been happy since getting married.
会(あ)って以来(いらい)、ずっと友達(ともだち)だ。
We've been friends ever since we met.
入社(にゅうしゃ)以来(いらい)10年(ねん)になる。
It's been 10 years since I joined the company.
事故(じこ)以来(いらい)、車(くるま)を運転(うんてん)していない。
I haven't driven since the accident.
2. from now on, henceforth
From this point forward.
今日(きょう)以来(いらい)、禁煙(きんえん)します。
From today onwards, I'll quit smoking.
これ以来(いらい)、注意(ちゅうい)するようにしている。
From then on, I've been careful.
今(いま)以来(いらい)、連絡(れんらく)を取(と)り合(あ)おう。
Let's keep in touch from now on.
この失敗(しっぱい)以来(いらい)、もっと慎重(しんちょう)に行動(こうどう)するようになった。
Since this failure, I've started acting more carefully.
先月(せんげつ)以来(いらい)、毎日(まいにち)運動(うんどう)を続(つづ)けている。
Since last month, I've been exercising every day.

以来(いらい) marks a starting point in the past and implies the situation has continued from then until now. It attaches directly to a time expression or verb te-form.

COMMON PATTERNS:

  • [noun]以来(いらい): 卒業(そつぎょう)以来(いらい) (since graduation)
  • 〜て以来(いらい): 会(あ)って以来(いらい) (since meeting)
  • 以来(いらい)ずっと: ever since then (emphasizes continuity)
  • これ以来(いらい): from then on

GRAMMAR:
Unlike 後(あと) or 以後(いご), 以来(いらい) strongly implies the state or action has continued up to the present. It connects a past event to the current moment.

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • 以来(いらい): since (continuing up to now)
  • 以後(いご): after (forward-looking, may not continue to present)
  • 以降(いこう): from ~ onward (formal/written)
  • 後(あと): after (general, casual)

HOMOPHONE:
Do not confuse with 依頼(いらい) (request) — same reading, different kanji and meaning.

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Added 2026.1.9 21:15 · Revised 2026.4.5 18:02
01500/01831_irai