Describing something with minimum and maximum

[CluelessJelly]

I understand that I can use 「（で）さえ」 to describe something like for the least, but how do you describe the maximum of something in a sentence?

Thanks in advance if you can help me

 

[nhk9]

I understand that I can use 「（で）さえ」 to describe something like for the least, but how do you describe the maximum of something in a sentence?

Thanks in advance if you can help me

The word that you are looking for is probably せいぜい （at most)

 

[Elizabeth]

Maximum is translated literally usually 最大 (biggest) or 最高 (best, highest).

さえ is "even," (most extreme case) "if just", "if only" (some condition alone is sufficient for the outcome) which doesn't by itself imply "at least" or "the least" or "at minimum" (smallest in number, size, etc) although there are cases you may be able to twist around the intention to get there.

An example would be helpful.

 

[CluelessJelly]

hm, things like
"At least you wouldn't have to work that hard."
for minimum
and for maximum
"You can only at most practice for 4 hours"

 

[Toritoribe]

hm, things like
"At least you wouldn't have to work that hard."
for minimum
and for maximum
"You can only at most practice for 4 hours"

I would say 少なくとも for the former, 多くても, 長くても(specific word for the example or "temporal") for the latter.

 

[fatedquest]

hm, things like
"At least you wouldn't have to work that hard."
for minimum
and for maximum
"You can only at most practice for 4 hours"

The first "at least" is not the antonym of the "at most" in the second sentence. I can't find the right words to explain it in English now and I don't know how to express it in Japanese. I'm sure I've heard it alot in Japanese dramas, argh why can't I think of it now.

However, if when talking about the "at least" as in the smallest quantity or quality as a prerequisite or limit for the statement that follows it, you can use

「せめて１kmぐらい走ることができる」 - I can at least run 1km
「それぐらいできないか」 - Can't you at least do that. Both numerical and non
「とにかく食べてみてください」－ Please at least try it. Non-numerical use
「少なくとも二千円だ」- It will cost at least 2000 yen. Numerical only I think.

For "at the most"

「あなたはせめて４時間だけ練習するほうがいい」- You should practice for not more than 4 hours.
「あなたは４時間より多い練習しません」 - You must not practice for more than 4 hours
「せいぜい1kgが残っている」- There is at the most 1kg remaining

As much as I study Japanese, I hardly have a chance to use it, so please correct me if any of these are erroneous.

 

[Elizabeth]

The first "at least" is not the antonym of the "at most" in the second sentence. I can't find the right words to explain it in English now and I don't know how to express it in Japanese. I'm sure I've heard it alot in Japanese dramas, argh why can't I think of it now.

However, if when talking about the "at least" as in the smallest quantity or quality as a prerequisite or limit for the statement that follows it, you can use

せめて１kmぐらい走ることができる」 - I can at least run 1km

少なくとも１kmぐらい走ることができる

「それぐらいできないか」 - Can't you at least do that. Both numerical and non

せめてこれぐらいやってもらえない？とか。。。(Can't in the sense of able but unwilling).

「とにかく食べてみてください」－ Please at least try it. Non-numerical use

Or 少なくとも

「少なくとも二千円だ」- It will cost at least 2000 yen. Numerical only I think.

少なくとも二千円はかかる/するだろう。

「あなたはせめて４時間だけ練習するほうがいい」- You should practice for not more than 4 hours.
４時間だけ練習するほうがいいより多い

]「あなたは４時間より多い練習しません」 - You must not practice for more than 4 hours.

Reference Tori's correction.
Should = したほうがいいでしょう。
Must not = してはいけない etc.

「せいぜい1kgが残っている」- There is at the most 1kg remaining

If you're talking about a maximum limit, but which is still a relatively small amount (1kg以上はないです ; 1kgしかありませんよ....) I think it's OK. You don't need the "が" though.

遠くてもせいぜい 1kg 以下のはず (At furthest, should be less than 1 kg)

 

[fatedquest]

The first "at least" is not the antonym of the "at most" in the second sentence. I can't find the right words to explain it in English now and I don't know how to express it in Japanese. I'm sure I've heard it a lot in Japanese dramas, argh why can't I think of it now.

Thanks alot Elizabeth. Now I know the proper way to use them all. Btw, how do I read 以下. Rikaichan gives me two readings, I don't know which should be used.

 

[undrentide]

For "at the most"

「あなたはせめて４時間だけ練習するほうがいい」- You should practice for not more than 4 hours.
「あなたは４時間より多い練習しません」 - You must not practice for more than 4 hours
「せいぜい1kgが残っている」- There is at the most 1kg remaining

As much as I study Japanese, I hardly have a chance to use it, so please correct me if any of these are erroneous.

練習してもせいぜい４時間にしておくべきだ。
４時間以上練習してはいけない。
残っていてもせいぜい１ｋｇしかない。多くても１ｋｇ しか残っていない。

 

[Elizabeth]

Thanks a lot Elizabeth. Now I know the proper way to use them all. Btw, how do I read 以下. Rikaichan gives me two readings, I don't know which should be used.

Ika ? Now you have multiple corrections. . Sorry I might have gotten a little tired near the end....

 

[Toritoribe]

Btw, how do I read 以下. Rikaichan gives me two readings, I don't know which should be used.

That's いか. Probably the rest one would be いげ, but いげ is a classical word no longer used in modern Japanese.