N1 Completion and Continuation

~尽つくす: meaning, usage and examples

~尽つくす means: to do... completely / to... thoroughly.

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. 彼女かのじょのために、できることは全すべてやり尽つくした。

   I did absolutely everything I could for her.

2. この問題もんだいについて、考かんがえ尽つくした結果けっか、この結論けつろんに至いたった。

   After thinking this problem through thoroughly, I arrived at this conclusion.

3. 祖父そふは、この町まちの歴史れきしを知しり尽つくしている。

   My grandfather knows everything there is to know about this town's history.

4. 山やま火事かじは、三日みっか森もりの大半たいはんを焼やき尽つくした。

   In just three days, the wildfire burned up most of the forest.

When to use it

Means doing something completely, until nothing is left: "to use up," "to do every bit of." Example: 「この町まちのことは知しり尽つくしている」 (I know everything about this town). Common combinations: 知しり尽つくす, 食たべ尽つくす, 焼やき尽つくす, 言いい尽つくす, やり尽つくす. A related idiom is 手てを尽つくす (try every possible means).

Nuance

Neutral to formal, often in writing and serious speech. It stresses totality and can sound strong or dramatic, as in fires or destruction. Works with a limited set of verbs; it is not freely added to any verb.

Compare

きる means finishing to the end: 食たべきる (eat it all), 走はしりきる. 尽つくす goes further, to the point of exhausting every possibility: 手段しゅだんを考かんがえ尽つくす. 果はたす is about using up resources: 使つかい果はたす (spend all of it).

Tip: Stick to the common pairs: 知しり尽つくす, 言いい尽つくす, 焼やき尽つくす, 食たべ尽つくす, やり尽つくす. Do not invent new ones.