Translation guide
How to express doing something using maximum physical or mental effort, from literal forceful actions to figurative determination.
Using maximum bodily power to push, pull, hit, throw, etc.
The most common and versatile way to say 'with all one's strength' for physical actions. Literally 'with full power'.
彼は全力でボールを投げた。
He threw the ball with all his strength.
Please push with all your strength.
Literally 'full of strength'. Slightly more casual and emphasizes the feeling of using all one's power.
力いっぱい引っ張った。
I pulled with all my strength.
Literary or dramatic expression meaning 'putting one's whole body and soul into it'. Used in narratives or emphatic speech.
渾身の力を込めて岩を押した。
He pushed the boulder with all his strength.
Doing something with maximum effort, willpower, or concentration, not necessarily physical.
Also used for non-physical effort like studying, working, or competing. Very common.
試験に全力で取り組んだ。
I tackled the exam with all my strength.
全力で応援するよ。
I'll cheer you on with all my strength.
Literally 'to the limit of one's strength'. Poetic or formal, used in speeches or writing.
力の限り戦った。
I fought with all my strength.
Yelling, screaming, or calling out as loudly as possible.
Set phrase for shouting with all one's strength. Literally 'to the limit of one's voice'.
声の限りに叫んだ。
I shouted with all my strength.
A more literal combination using 全力で, but less idiomatic than 声の限りに for shouting.
彼は全力で叫んだが、誰も聞こえなかった。
He shouted with all his strength, but no one heard.
Sprinting or moving as fast as one possibly can.
全力で is neutral and can be used for both physical and mental effort. 精一杯 implies doing one's utmost given one's ability, often with a nuance of 'even if it's not enough'. 精一杯 is commonly used in humble expressions like 精一杯頑張ります (I'll do my best).
English 'with all one's strength' cannot be directly translated as 力で. You need phrases like 全力で or 力いっぱい. Saying 力で alone sounds like 'by force' or 'using power' in a different sense.
Means 'to the best of one's ability' or 'with all one's might'. Often used when the result is uncertain but effort is maximum.
精一杯頑張ります。
I'll do my best with all my strength.