一生懸命

Japanese

Kanji in this term
一	生	懸	命
いつ > いっ Grade: 1	しょう Grade: 1	けん Grade: S	めい Grade: 3
on'yomi

Etymology

From 一所懸命(いっしょけんめい) (isshokenmei), which referred to samurais risking their life to defend the territory inherited from ancestors.

Adverb

一(いっ)生(しょう)懸(けん)命(めい) or 一生懸命(adverb) • (isshōkenmei or adverb) ^{←いつしやうけんめい (itusyaukenmei)?}[[Category:Japanese
|いっしょうけんめい]]

1. for dear life; as hard as one can; to the best of one's ability

   一(いっ)生(しょう)懸(けん)命(めい)頑(がん)張(ば)る

   isshōkenmei ganbaru

   to try one's utmost hardest