- <→AS hard as someone tried to smile>
- as hard as someone tried to smile: (人)が必死{ひっし}[懸命{けんめい}]にほほ笑もう[笑顔{えがお}を作ろう]としたが
- after someone has tried all that: (人)がそういったことをすべて試した後で
- something that someone consciously tried to achieve: (人)が意識的{いしきてき}に達成{たっせい}しようと[成し遂げようと]したもの[こと]