いっ
一
しょ
所
けん
懸
めい
命

adverb, adjectival noun or quasi-adjective, noun

Messages.yoji.
  1. very hard, with utmost effort, as hard as one can, with all one's might, for dear life, eagerly, desperately.

noun

Messages.hist, messages.yoji.
  1. (of a samurai) devoting oneself to (the defense of) one's territory.

Variations

Pronunciation Kanji Kana Is Common
いっ
一
しょ
所
けん
懸
めい
命
 一所懸命 いっしょけんめい

Contained Kanji Breakdown

one, one radical (no.1)
イチ　いっ　ひと- (1st, N5)
place, extent
ショ　ところ　とこ (3rd, N3)
door, counter for houses, door radical (no. 63)
と　コ　へ (2nd, N2)
one, one radical (no.1)
イチ　いっ　ひと- (1st, N5)
corpse, remains, flag radical (no. 44)
シ　かたしろ (Kentei 1)
axe, 1.32 lb, catty
キン (8th, N1)
state of suspension, hang, depend
か.ける　ケン　ケ (9th, N1)
county, district, subdivision
ケン　か.ける　あがた (Kentei 1)
prefecture
ケン　がた　か.ける (3rd, N2)
fishhook radical(乙) variant
eye, class, look
め　モク　ボク (1st, N4)
little, small
ショウ　こ-　ちい.さい (1st, N5)
feathered stick, barb radical (no. 6)
ケツ　かぎ (Kentei 1)
eight, eight radical (no. 12)
ハチ　や　はっ (1st, N5)
lineage, system
ケイ (6th, N1)
katakana no radical (no. 4)
ヘツ　えい　よう (Kentei 1)
thread
いと　シ (1st, N2)
short thread radical (no. 52)
ヨウ　ちいさい (Kentei 1)
heart, mind, spirit
こころ　シン (2nd, N4)
fate, command, decree
メイ　いのち　ミョウ (3rd, N3)
to assemble. to gather together
シュウ　あつまる
person
ひと　ニン　ジン (1st, N5)
one, one radical (no.1)
イチ　いっ　ひと- (1st, N5)
strike, beat, kow tow
たた.く　はた.く　コウ (Kentei Pre-1)
mouth
くち　コウ　ク (1st, N4)
seal radical (no. 26)
セツ　わりふ (Kentei 1)