Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Get the Kotomora apps for iOS and Android.

Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides About Support Privacy

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

最大限 (saidaigen) Japanese meaning: maximum | Kotomora

最さい大だい限げん

さ

い

だ

い

げ

ん

Common word›JLPTN1›Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

1

noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no', noun

maximum; greatest possible

Used as a noun or no-adjective to describe the upper limit of something, often in phrases like 最大限の努力 (maximum effort).

Antonyms: 最小限

最さい大だい限げんの努ど力りょくをします。

I will make the maximum effort.

この部屋へやの収しゅう容よう人にん数ずうは最さい大だい限げんで50人にんです。

The maximum capacity of this room is 50 people.

2

to the fullest; as much as possible

Adverbial use meaning doing something to the greatest extent or degree. Often used with verbs like 活用する, 利用する, or 生かす.

時じ間かんを最さい大だい限げんに活かつ用ようしましょう。
Let's make the most of our time.
彼かれは自じ分ぶんの才さい能のうを最さい大だい限げんに生いかした。
He made the fullest use of his talent.

Usage patterns

〈物もの〉を最さい大だい限げんに活かつ用ようするto make maximum use of something
限かぎられた時じ間かんを最さい大だい限げんに活かつ用ようしたい。
I want to make the most of the limited time I have.
最さい大だい限げんの努ど力りょくをするto make maximum effort
彼かれはプロジェクトの成せい功こうのために最さい大だい限げんの努ど力りょくをした。
He made every possible effort for the project's success.
〈物もの〉を最さい大だい限げんに生いかすto make the most of something
自じ分ぶんの経けい験けんを最さい大だい限げんに生いかして仕し事ごとに取とり組くむ。

Kanji

最utmost, most, extreme
大large, big
限limit, restrict, to best of ability

Related words

最さい大だいN3sense 1
最大限 stresses the upper limit that cannot be exceeded, whereas 最大 simply means 'the biggest/greatest' without that limit nuance.
極きょく力りょくN1sense 2
極力 is an adverb meaning 'to the utmost of one's ability,' close to the adverbial 最大限に but used more with effort verbs like 努める rather than utilization verbs.

Opposites

最さい小しょう限げんN1sense 1
minimum; minimum necessary; minimal · at a minimum; at least
最さい低てい限げんN1
最大限 means the maximum possible extent, the direct opposite of 最低限's minimum required level.

Etymology

Compound of 最大 (maximum) and 限 (limit). The exact historical derivation is straightforward; the word has been used in modern Japanese to express the concept of an upper bound or fullest extent.

I tackle my work by making full use of my own experience.