我々は大学時代にはしのぎを削ったものだ。

Sentence Analyzer

English Translation

We used to compete furiously in college.

Furigana

我々(われわれ)は大学(だいがく)時代(じだい)にはしのぎを削(けず)ったものだ。

Romanji

Wareware wa daigaku jidai ni wa shinogi o kezutta mono da.

Words

我々 (われわれ)

は (は)

topic marker particle; indicates contrast with another option (stated or unstated); adds emphasis

大学 (だいがく)

post-secondary education institution, incl. university, college, etc.; former central university of Kyoto (established under the ritsuryo system for the training of government administrators); the Great Learning - one of the Four Books

時代 (じだい)

period; epoch; era; age; the times; those days; oldness; ancientness; antiquity; antique; period piece

に (に)

at (place, time); in; on; during; to (direction, state); toward; into; for (purpose); because of (reason); for; with; by; from; as (i.e. in the role of); per; in; for; a (e.g. "once a month"); and; in addition to; if; although

鎬 (しのぎ)

ridges on a blade (sword, knife, etc.); ridged pattern in building

を (を)

indicates direct object of action; indicates subject of causative expression; indicates an area traversed; indicates time (period) over which action takes place; indicates point of departure or separation of action; indicates object of desire, like, hate, etc.

削る (けずる)

to shave (wood or leather); to sharpen; to plane; to whittle; to pare; to scrape off; to shave off (e.g. a budget, expenses, a salary, etc.); to curtail; to cut down; to cross out; to reduce; to curtail; to remove; to erase; to delete

者 (もの、もん)

person

だ (だ)

be; is; indicates past or completed action; indicates light imperative