Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.
死力を尽くす (しりょくをつくす) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
expression, godan verb (-su)
make frantic efforts ; try desperately ; give one's all
Used when someone exerts themselves to the utmost, often in a desperate or all-out manner. The phrase 死力を尽くす literally means 'to exhaust one's death power', implying a life-or-death effort.
きゅう
助じょ
隊たい
は
生せい
存ぞん
者しゃ
を
探さが
す
ため
に
死し
力りょく
を
尽つ
くし
て
いる
。
The rescue team is trying desperately to find survivors.
Kanji 尽 exhaust, use up, run out of Similar words 全ぜん 力りょく を 尽つ くす 全力を尽くす means 'to do one's best' or 'to exert all one's power', but it lacks the desperate, life-or-death nuance of 死力を尽くす.
必ひっ 死し になる 必死になる means 'to become desperate' or 'to be frantic', focusing on the state of desperation rather than the act of making an all-out effort.
Etymology The expression combines 死力 (しりょく, 'death power' or 'desperate strength') with 尽くす (つくす, 'to exhaust'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it is conventionally understood as 'to exhaust one's utmost strength as if facing death'.