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〜が関の山

the most one can manage, at best

Verb dictionary form + の / Noun + が関の山だ

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が関の山だ says that something is the absolute limit of what's possible, and it's not much: 一日に十ページ読むのが関の山だ, "ten pages a day is the most I can manage".

The tone is modest, resigned or dismissive, about yourself or someone else: 彼の実力では、予選通過が関の山だ, "with his ability, getting through the qualifiers is the best he can hope for".

It's close to のがやっとだ ("barely manage") and がせいぜいだ ("at most"). Compare といったところだ, "about, at most", which is a softer estimate.

関の山 was a famous float at the Seki festival, and it was the biggest one anyone could imagine, so it came to mean "the upper limit".

Examples

  • 一日いちにちに十じゅっページ読よむのが関せきの山やまだ。

    Ten pages a day is the most I can manage.

  • 私わたしの給料きゅうりょうでは、小ちいさなアパートに住すむのが関せきの山やまだ。

    On my salary, a small flat is the best I can do.

  • 今いまから頑張がんばっても、三位さんいに入はいるのが関せきの山やまだろう。

    Even if we try hard now, third place is probably the best we can hope for.

  • 彼かれの実力じつりょくでは、予選通過よせんつうかが関せきの山やまだ。

    With his ability, getting through the qualifiers is the best he can hope for.

  • 素人しろうとが作つくっても、この程度ていどが関せきの山やまだ。

    If an amateur makes it, this is about as good as it gets.

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