尽つくす

つ

く

す

Common wordJLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

尽くす · godan verb (-su)

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	尽つくす	尽つくさない
Polite	尽つくします	尽つくしません
Past polite	尽つくしました	尽つくしませんでした
Past	尽つくした	尽つくさなかった
Te-form	尽つくして	尽つくさないで
Desire	尽つくしたい	尽つくしたくない
Potential	尽つくせる	尽つくせない
Passive	尽つくされる	尽つくされない
Causative	尽つくさせる	尽つくさせない
Causative passive	尽つくさせられる	尽つくさせられない
Volitional	尽つくそう
Polite volitional	尽つくしましょう
Imperative	尽つくせ	尽つくすな
Conditional	尽つくせば	尽つくさなければ
Tara conditional	尽つくしたら	尽つくさなかったら

Pairs with尽きる

Meanings

godan verb (-su), transitive verb

use up; exhaust; run out of

Transitive: consume or expend a resource completely. Often used with money, energy, or supplies.

彼かれは全ぜん財ざい産さんを使つかい尽つくした。
He used up all his fortune.
食しょく料りょうを食たべ尽つくしてしまった。
We ate up all the food.

godan verb (-su), intransitive verb

devote oneself; do one's utmost; serve

Intransitive: give one's all to a person, cause, or duty. Often followed by に or のために.

彼かれは国くにのために尽つくした。
He devoted himself to his country.
私わたしは家か族ぞくのために全ぜん力りょくを尽つくすつもりだ。
I intend to do my utmost for my family.

suffix, godan verb (-su)

do completely; do to exhaustion; do fully

Suffix attached to the -masu stem of a verb. Indicates doing the action thoroughly or until nothing remains.

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉のために尽つくすto devote oneself for someone's sake
彼かの女じょは家か族ぞくのために尽つくした。
She devoted herself to her family.
〈事こと〉に尽つくすto devote oneself to a cause or duty
彼かれは地ち域いき社しゃ会かいの発はっ展てんに尽つくした。
He devoted himself to the development of the local community.

Expressions· 21

手てを尽つくすtry every possible means; do everything one can
力ちからを尽つくすexert oneself; make every effort; do one's best
意いを尽つくすfully express one's feelings; say everything on one's mind
歓かんを尽つくすenjoy oneself to the fullest; have a great time
礼れいを尽つくすbe extremely polite; show utmost courtesy; do everything etiquette requires

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誠まことを尽つくすdo with sincerity; act in good faith
贅ぜいを尽つくすspare no expense; live extravagantly; indulge in luxury
身みを尽つくすgive one's all; do one's utmost

See all 21 in Explore →

Kanji

尽exhaust, use up, run out of
盡exhaust, use up, run out of

Transitive / intransitive

尽くす itself is used both transitively, taking a resource as its direct object (財産を尽くす, to exhaust one's fortune), and intransitively, followed by に or のために to mean devoting oneself to a person or cause (人のために尽くす, to devote oneself for someone).

尽つきるN1sense 1
尽きる is the intransitive partner of 尽くす: resources 尽きる (run out) on their own, while someone 尽くす (uses up) them deliberately.

Related words· 7

尽じん力りょく sense 2
尽力する is a formal word for making great efforts toward a goal, while 尽くす also carries a warmer connotation of devoting oneself in service to a person or cause.
使つかい切きる sense 1
使い切る focuses on finishing off a finite, countable quantity, while 尽くす emphasizes complete exhaustion of a resource or total devotion to a cause.
献けん身しん sense 2
献身する means to dedicate oneself devotedly to someone or something, similar to 尽くす in its sense of selfless service, but 献身する sounds more solemn and is often used for causes like family or duty.
果はたすN2sense 2
果たす means to fulfill or accomplish a duty or role, whereas 尽くす emphasizes giving one's utmost effort in service rather than merely completing a task.

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極きわめるN1
尽くす means to exhaust or use up something completely, whereas 極める focuses on reaching the highest or most extreme point of something.
凝こらすN1
尽くす (as in 工夫を尽くす) stresses exhausting every idea or resource, whereas 凝らす focuses on intensely channeling effort or creativity into one thing.
捧ささげるN1
尽くす means to exhaust one's effort or resources for someone/something, while 捧げる's devotion sense stresses giving something whole (life, love) as a solemn gift.

Opposites

残のこすN4sense 1
残す means to leave something remaining, the opposite of 尽くす's sense of using up a resource completely.
怠おこたるN2sense 2
怠る means to neglect a duty or effort, the opposite of 尽くす's sense of devoting oneself fully to a task or person.

Don't confuse with

尽つかす
尽かす looks similar to 尽くす but is mainly used in the fixed phrase 愛想を尽かす (to become fed up with someone), unlike 尽くす's broader senses of exhausting resources or devoting oneself.

Word family· 27

立たち尽つくす
stand still; remain standing; stand motionless
し尽つくす
do everything possible; leave nothing undone; exhaust all efforts
出で尽つくす
come out completely; be fully expressed; be exhausted; run out
国くに尽づくし
list of province names
宝たから尽づくし
collection of treasures; assortment of lucky items · treasure pattern; lucky-item design

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見み尽つくす
see everything; see all there is to see
やり尽つくす
do everything possible; exhaust all means; leave nothing undone
使つかい尽つくす
use up; exhaust; squander
取とり尽つくす
deplete; use up; take all
埋うめ尽つくす
fill completely; cover entirely; pack full · tessellate
売うり尽つくす
sell out; exhaust one's stock

See all 27 in Explore →

Written forms

尽つくすUsage61%
Standard kanji spelling for all senses.
つくすUsage30%
尽つくすUsage9%
search-only kanji form
Search-only simplified form; not standard for writing.
盡つくすUsage<1%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kyūjitai form.

Etymology

From classical verb 尽く (tsuku, 'to exhaust') + auxiliary す (su, 'to do'). The kanji 尽 carries the meaning of 'exhaust' or 'use up.'