1.
desperate, frantic
Trying extremely hard with full effort, often in a dire situation.
必死に勉強した。
I studied desperately.
彼は必死の形相で走っていた。
He was running with a desperate look on his face.
必死になって説得したが、無駄だった。
I tried desperately to persuade them, but it was useless.
2.
inevitable death, certain death
A situation where death is unavoidable (literary/classical usage).
将棋で必死をかけた。
I put the opponent in an inescapable position in shogi.
In shogi, 必死 refers to a position where checkmate cannot be avoided
兵士たちは必死の覚悟で戦った。
The soldiers fought with a do-or-die resolve.
必死の覚悟 = desperate resolve, prepare for the worst
必死の状況から奇跡的に生還した。
He miraculously survived from a life-or-death situation.
Often used adverbially with に to mean "desperately" or "frantically."
FORMS:
- 必死に〜する (to do something desperately)
- 必死になって (becoming desperate)
- 必死の + noun (必死の努力 = desperate effort)
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 必死に働く (to work frantically)
- 必死に逃げる (to flee desperately)
- 必死の覚悟 (desperate resolve)
- 必死の抵抗 (desperate resistance)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 一生懸命 - with all one's might (more positive)
- 必死 - desperate, frantic (implies urgency/danger)