一生懸命

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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

Yojijukugo (四字熟語), 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.

Pronunciation

(Tokyo) いっしょーけんめー (Nakadaka – )^[1]
IPA^(key):

Adverb

一(いっ)生(しょう)懸(けん)命(めい) • (isshōkenmei) ^{←いつしやうけんめい (itusyaukenmei)^?}

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

References

^ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN

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