Understanding してでも in 「みずからの精神や命を犠牲にしてでも...」


Consider

> みずからの精神や命を犠牲に **してでも** このままじゃ いけないんだ

The way I would understand this sentence were it using **しても** (instead of
**してでも** ) is:

  * **More literal translation:** Even ( **しても** ) sacrificing my own spirit and life, the status quo won't do!

  * **Idiomatic translation:** Even if it's at my own expense, I can't let things continue like this!

My best guess is that **してでも** means "even if _it's the case_ (で) that I do",
whereas しても means just "even if I do". So the extra で is kind of like んだ at
the end of a sentence ("it's the case that..").

**NOTE:** I've seen [other
questions](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/68324/the-difference-
between-verb%e3%81%a6%e3%82%82-and-verb%e3%81%a6%e3%81%a7%e3%82%82) on this
site which attempt to explain the difference between ても and てでも, but I found
them hard to understand and I thought discussing it in the context of this new
sentence might be useful.




～してでも in isolation literally means "even by/with ～ing". The te-form describes
the method, such as in ナイフを使って紙を切る or 歩いて学校に行く. Importantly, this pattern is
rather strictly limited to the contexts of determinedly doing something
difficult or risky. It's normally followed by a phrase to express a strong
willingness, desire or recommendation.

> ##### [JLPT N2 Grammar てでも (te demo)](https://jlptsensei.com/learn-japanese-
> grammar/%E3%81%A6%E3%81%A7%E3%82%82-te-demo-meaning/)
>
> _even if I have to; by all means_
>
> used to strongly express one's willingness or desire to do something

> ##### [Bunpro:
> ～てでも](https://bunpro.jp/grammar_points/%E3%81%A6%E3%81%A7%E3%82%82)
>
> _even if I have to, by all/any means, no matter what_
>
> When connected to verbs, てでも just emphasizes that 'even if (A) needs to be
> done, it will be', and expresses the speaker's strong determination to do
> something, regardless of what the consequences are, or how difficult it
> might be.

That is, while このボタンを押しても反応しない and 読んでも分かりません are correct, このボタンを押してでも反応しない
and 読んででも分かりません are ungrammatical.

Even when there is no explicit word for willingness, desire or recommendation,
you must assume such a nuance is implied:

  * 何をしてでも勝つ。  
≈ 何をしてでも勝とう。/何をしてでも勝たなければならない。  
We are going to win by all means!

On the other hand, ～しても has no such implication:

  * 何をしても勝つ。  
(The opponent is so weak that) no matter what we do, we will win anyway.

してでも has no の/ん, so you should not try to associate it with explanatory-の.




～してでも in isolation literally means "even by/with ～ing". The te-form describes
the method, such as in ナイフを使って紙を切る or 歩いて学校に行く. Importantly, this pattern is
rather strictly limited to the contexts of determinedly doing something
difficult or risky. It's normally followed by a phrase to express a strong
willingness, desire or recommendation.

> ##### [JLPT N2 Grammar てでも (te demo)](https://jlptsensei.com/learn-japanese-
> grammar/%E3%81%A6%E3%81%A7%E3%82%82-te-demo-meaning/)
>
> _even if I have to; by all means_
>
> used to strongly express one's willingness or desire to do something

> ##### [Bunpro:
> ～てでも](https://bunpro.jp/grammar_points/%E3%81%A6%E3%81%A7%E3%82%82)
>
> _even if I have to, by all/any means, no matter what_
>
> When connected to verbs, てでも just emphasizes that 'even if (A) needs to be
> done, it will be', and expresses the speaker's strong determination to do
> something, regardless of what the consequences are, or how difficult it
> might be.

That is, while このボタンを押しても反応しない and 読んでも分かりません are correct, このボタンを押してでも反応しない
and 読んででも分かりません are ungrammatical.

Even when there is no explicit word for willingness, desire or recommendation,
you must assume such a nuance is implied:

  * 何をしてでも勝つ。  
≈ 何をしてでも勝とう。/何をしてでも勝たなければならない。  
We are going to win by all means!

On the other hand, ～しても has no such implication:

  * 何をしても勝つ。  
(The opponent is so weak that) no matter what we do, we will win anyway.

してでも has no の/ん, so you should not try to associate it with explanatory-の.

