必 死(ひっし)

ひっし

na-adjective / noun

desperate, frantic

1. desperate, frantic

Trying extremely hard with full effort, often in a dire situation.

必死(ひっし)に勉強(べんきょう)した。

I studied desperately.

彼(かれ)は必死(ひっし)の形相(ぎょうそう)で走(はし)っていた。

He was running with a desperate look on his face.

必死(ひっし)になって説得(せっとく)したが、無駄(むだ)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(しょうぎ)で必死(ひっし)をかけた。

I put the opponent in an inescapable position in shogi.

In shogi, 必死(ひっし) refers to a position where checkmate cannot be avoided

兵士(へいし)たちは必死(ひっし)の覚悟(かくご)で戦(たたか)った。

The soldiers fought with a do-or-die resolve.

必死(ひっし)の覚悟(かくご) = desperate resolve, prepare for the worst

必死(ひっし)の状況(じょうきょう)から奇跡的(きせきてき)に生還(せいかん)した。

He miraculously survived from a life-or-death situation.

Often used adverbially with に to mean "desperately" or "frantically."

FORMS:

必死(ひっし)に〜する (to do something desperately)
必死(ひっし)になって (becoming desperate)
必死(ひっし)の + noun (必死(ひっし)の努力(どりょく) = desperate effort)

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

必死(ひっし)に働(はたら)く (to work frantically)
必死(ひっし)に逃(に)げる (to flee desperately)
必死(ひっし)の覚悟(かくご) (desperate resolve)
必死(ひっし)の抵抗(ていこう) (desperate resistance)

SIMILAR WORDS:

一生懸命(いっしょうけんめい) - with all one's might (more positive)
必死(ひっし) - desperate, frantic (implies urgency/danger)

Related Words

Synonym: 一生懸命(いっしょうけんめい) (with all one's might)

general

Added 2026.1.12 21:24 · Revised 2026.5.27 8:18

03500/03705_hisshi