で (4)

Particle (Basic ㊦ 109)

A particle which indicates the time when something terminates or the amount of time a period of activity has taken.

Equivalent: At; on; in

春学期は五月十日で終わる・終わります。: The spring term ends on May 10.
このコンサートは十時で終わります。: This concert will be over at ten o'clock.
私のパスポートは六月で切れる。: My passport expires in June.
アメリカに来てから今日で三年になる。: It's been three years since I came to America.

Notes

1. In general, Xで4 indicates that something lasts for a period of time up to X.

2. When X in Xで refers to a duration of time, as in (1), it is the で of means rather than the で of termination time.

(⇨ で2)

山田さんは一週間でそのレポートを書いた。
Mr. Yamada wrote the report in a week (literally: using a week).

【Related Expression】

に1 can be used in place of で4 in Key Sentence and Examples (a) and (b), as in [1].

[1]

春学期は五月十日で/に終わる。
The spring term ends on May 10.

When で is used, the nuance is that the spring term lasts up to May 10. When に is used, however, the sentence simply indicates the time when the spring term ends.

★Semantic derivations of で

	→で2: ジョンは車でシカゴへ行った。 John when to Chicago by car.
で 'using'―	→で2: 私達は英語で話した。 We talked in English.
		⤷で3: その家は台風で壊れた。 That house collapsed due to the typhoon.
			⤷で3: 僕は試験で行けなかった。 I couldn't go (there) because of the exam.
	→で2 私は毛糸で靴下を編んだ。 I knit socks with wool.
	→で1 道子はいつも図書館で勉強する。 Michiko usually studies at the library.
	→で2: 木村さんは三日でこのレポートを書いた。 Mr. Kimura wrote this report in three days.
		⤷で4: 仕事は五時で終わります。 My work ends at five o'clock.
	→で2 私はこの本を十ドルで買った。 I bought this book for ten dollars.