まで is where you lift the pen off the line

Where the picture shows up in まで

1. 1

   the hour it stops

   五時まで働きます。

   go-ji made hatarakimasu

   I work until five.

2. 2

   as far as you go

   東京まで行きます。

   tōkyō made ikimasu

   I'm going as far as Tokyo.

3. 3

   as far as you got

   三ページまで読みました。

   san-pēji made yomimashita

   I read up to page three.

4. 4

   once, before that point

   金曜日までに出してください。

   kin-yōbi made ni dashite kudasai

   Please hand it in by Friday.

   五時まで待つ is waiting the whole way to five; 五時までに出す is handing it in once, before five. Miss までに and you miss the deadline.

5. 5

   the surprise that reached that far

   部長まで笑っていました。

   buchō made waratte imashita

   Even the department head was laughing.