Onyomi: ベン · Kunyomi: つと.める · Meanings: diligent, encourage, endeavour, exertion, make effort, strive
Kanji for diligent, encourage, endeavour, exertion, make effort
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The kanji 勉 combines the strength radical 力 (power) with 免 (to avoid or endure). Together, they express the idea of exerting effort or using strength to overcome difficulty. Originally, it meant “to strive” or “to make an effort,” and today it’s used in words like 勉強 (study), symbolizing hard work and perseverance.
Using strength to overcome and endure — 勉 means to make an effort or to work hard.
Think of using all your power to push forward and improve — that’s 勉, the kanji for effort, diligence, and study.
| Word | Reading | Meaning | Meta |
|---|---|---|---|
| 勉強 | べんきょう | study | common JLPT-N3 JLPT-N5 Noun, Suru verb, Transitive verb |
| 努める | つとめる | to endeavor (to do), to endeavour, to try hard, to work hard, to strive, to make an effort, to exert oneself, to devote oneself, to be committed (to doing) | common JLPT-N2 Ichidan verb, Intransitive verb |
| 努めて | つとめて | as much as possible, as far as possible, to the best of one's ability, diligently | common JLPT-N1 Adverb (fukushi) |
| 勉学 | べんがく | study, pursuit of knowledge | common Noun, Suru verb, Transitive verb, Intransitive verb |
| 勉強中 | べんきょうちゅう | while studying, presently studying | common Expressions (phrases, clauses, etc.) |
| 勉強家 | べんきょうか | diligent student, studious person | Noun |
| 勉強不足 | べんきょうぶそく | insufficient study | Noun |
| 勉強部屋 | べんきょうべや | study room | Noun |
| 勉強時間 | べんきょうじかん | one's study hours (time) | Noun |
| 力む | りきむ | to strain (oneself), to bear down, to exert oneself, to try (too) hard, to draw one's body taut | common Godan verb with 'mu' ending, Intransitive verb |
| 勉強机 | べんきょうづくえ | study desk | Noun |
| 勉強熱心 | べんきょうねっしん | hardworking, studious | Na-adjective (keiyodoshi) |
| 勉励 | べんれい | diligence | Noun, Suru verb, Intransitive verb |
| 勉強運 | べんきょううん | one's fate (fortune) as concerns studies | Noun |
| 勉強代 | べんきょうだい | cost of a lesson learned (e.g. from failing at something), price of a life lesson | Noun |