Translation guide
Expresses doing something with one decisive action, strike, or effort. Covers literal physical blows, figurative sudden achievements, and idiomatic 'in one fell swoop' meanings.
Describing an action completed by a single physical hit, punch, or sword cut.
Standard way to say 'with one blow/strike'. Used for punches, sword strikes, etc.
彼は一撃で相手を倒した。
He knocked down his opponent with a single blow.
Literally 'with one swing'. Used for swords, bats, or other swung weapons.
刀の一振りで敵を斬った。
He cut down the enemy with a single swing of his sword.
Often used for gunshots or explosive impacts, but can also mean 'with one punch' in casual contexts.
一発で仕留めた。
He took it down with one shot.
Describing completing a task, solving a problem, or achieving something in a single decisive action.
Means 'in one go', 'all at once'. Very common for doing something without stopping.
彼は問題を一気に解決した。
He solved the problem in one fell swoop.
Similar to 一気に but slightly more formal/literary. Often used for sweeping changes or comprehensive actions.
Can be used figuratively to mean 'in one shot/attempt', especially in casual speech.
試験に一発で合格した。
I passed the exam on the first try (in one shot).
Achieving multiple things with a single action.
Direct equivalent of 'kill two birds with one stone'. Very common idiom.
散歩がてら買い物に行けば一石二鳥だ。
If I go shopping while taking a walk, it's killing two birds with one stone.
Both mean 'all at once', but 一気に emphasizes doing something in one continuous burst without pause (e.g., drinking, reading), while 一挙に emphasizes handling many things in one sweeping action (e.g., solving multiple problems). 一気に is more common in daily speech.
ビールを一気に飲んだ。
I drank the beer in one go.
課題を一挙に片付けた。
I cleared up the tasks all at once.
The new system solved the problems in a single blow.