努
toil, diligent, as much as possible
Readings
On'yomi
- ド
Kun'yomi
- つと.める
Meaning
努 centers on putting in effort: toiling, being diligent, and doing as much as possible. It's about applying force to achieve something.
Most common words using 努
- 努力どりょくN3
effort; exertion; endeavour; endeavor; hard work; striving
- 努めるつとめるN2
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)
- 努ど
third principle of the Eight Principles of Yong; downward stroke
- 努ゆめ
never; by no means
- 努努ゆめゆめ
certainly; absolutely
- 努めてつとめてN1
as much as possible; as far as possible; to the best of one's ability; diligently
- たゆまず努力たゆまずどりょく
untiring labor (labour)
- 企業努力きぎょうどりょく
business efforts; corporate efforts
- 努力の賜物どりょくのたまもの
fruit of one's labor; result of one's efforts
- 努力も虚しくどりょくもむなしく
after efforts in vain
- 努力奮励どりょくふんれい
making strenuous efforts; exerting oneself
- 努力家どりょくか
hard worker; hardworking person
- 努力目標どりょくもくひょう
goal to strive for; challenge
- 努力義務どりょくぎむ
obligation to make a sincere effort (to follow a set of rules, etc.)
- 努力賞どりょくしょう
prize awarded for good effort; consolation prize
- 外交努力がいこうどりょく
diplomatic efforts
- 奮励努力ふんれいどりょく
making strenuous efforts; exerting oneself
- 奮闘努力ふんとうどりょく
try one's best; all-out effort; strenuous efforts
- 経営努力けいえいどりょく
management effort; managerial effort; operation action
- 自助努力じじょどりょく
self-help efforts; independent efforts; self-supporting endeavor
Study
Etymology
努 combines 奴 (which likely provides the sound) with 力 (strength/power), suggesting exerting strength or effort.
Meaning mnemonic
奴 (servant) on top of 力 (power) — a servant must use all their power to toil diligently.
Reading mnemonic
For ド, imagine a diligent worker saying 'do' as they put in effort: do -> ド, and they do as much as possible.