This site will be taken down March 31st, 2026.

This was not an easy decision to make. For the last couple years, I have been struggling to find motivation for this site and to keep up with basic maintenance and security updates. With the rise of AI and more sophisticated tools, the usefulness of sites like this is questionable and traffic has nose-dived. I just don't have it in me to keep doing this. Thank you all for 10 years of support!

Zach

人生はせいぜい苦難の海だ。

Sentence Analyzer

人生 せいぜい 苦難

English Translation

Life is, at best, a sea of troubles.

Furigana

人生(じんせい)はせいぜい苦難(くなん)(うみ)だ。

Romanji

Jinsei wa seizei kunan no umi da.

Words

人生 (じんせい)
(human) life (i.e. conception to death)
()
topic marker particle; indicates contrast with another option (stated or unstated); adds emphasis
精々 (せいぜい)
at the most; at best; to the utmost; as much (far) as possible
苦難 (くなん)
suffering; distress; hardship; trial
()
indicates possessive; nominalizes verbs and adjectives; substitutes for "ga" in subordinate phrases; (at sentence-end, falling tone) indicates a confident conclusion; (at sentence-end) indicates emotional emphasis; (at sentence-end, rising tone) indicates question
(うみ、み、わた、わだ)
sea; ocean; waters
()
be; is; indicates past or completed action; indicates light imperative

Kanji

Readings: ジン、 ニン、 ひと、 -り、 -と
Meaning: person
Readings: セイ、 ショウ、 い.きる、 い.かす、 い.ける、 う.まれる、 うま.れる、 う.まれ、 うまれ、 う.む、 お.う、 は.える、 は.やす、 き、 なま、 なま-、 な.る、 な.す、 む.す、 -う
Meanings: life, genuine, birth
Readings: ク、 くる.しい、 -ぐる.しい、 くる.しむ、 くる.しめる、 にが.い、 にが.る
Meanings: suffering, trial, worry, hardship, feel bitter, scowl
Readings: ナン、 かた.い、 -がた.い、 むずか.しい、 むづか.しい、 むつか.しい、 -にく.い
Meanings: difficult, impossible, trouble, accident, defect
Readings: カイ、 うみ
Meanings: sea, ocean