精々

せいぜい

at the most, at best

Also:to the utmost

What does 精々 mean?

精々 is a Japanese noun meaning at the most, at best in English. It can also be translated as to the utmost depending on context. It is written as 精々 in kanji, せいぜい in hiragana, and seizei in romaji. This word is part of JLPT N3 vocabulary.

Example sentences

桜の花は数日、せいぜい一週間しか持たない。

Cherry blossoms last only for a few days, a week at the most.

狭い部屋をせいぜい広く使った。

I made the best of my small room.