Meaning
努力 means to exert oneself or put in effort toward a goal. It conveys the idea of consciously working hard and applying oneself diligently. As a verb, it means 'to try hard' or 'to strive'; as an adjective, it describes someone who is hard-working or diligent.
Usage
This is one of the most common words Chinese speakers use to encourage effort or describe dedication. It's frequently used in educational contexts, work settings, and motivational speech. Often appears in phrases like 努力学习 (study hard) or 努力工作 (work hard). It has a positive, praiseworthy connotation and is appropriate in both formal and informal contexts.
Examples
- 01我们要努力学习中文。.We need to study Chinese hard.
- 02她是一个很努力的学生。.She is a very hard-working student.
Characters
Common collocations
- 努力学习to study hard
- 努力工作to work hard
- 继续努力to keep working hard
- 非常努力very hard-working
Antonyms
Origin
努 originally depicted a hand exerting force, while 力 represents physical strength or power. Together they form a compound meaning 'to exert one's strength' or 'to make an effort.'