精一杯生きる seiippai ikiru Live Life

精一杯生きる is a resolution: to live with all the strength you have. The verb is in its plain form, which Japanese uses for what one does or means to do. So the line reads as a promise to oneself, not a command. 精一杯 is effort to the limit, as hard as one can. The English live life to the full asks for a full life; the Japanese asks for all your strength.

精一杯生きる is ordinary modern Japanese, in print in this form by 1937. Here it is the house's Japanese for the English live life to the full, which the title shortens.

We want you to be as happy with the meaning as you are with Master Takase's art. To learn more, visit Philology of 精一杯生きる.

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