Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Words Kanji Guides About

努力 (どりょく) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

努ど力りょく

ど

りょ

く

Common wordJLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 2,000

Meanings

1

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', intransitive verb

effort; hard work; endeavor

Refers to sustained effort toward a goal. Used as a noun or with する to mean 'make an effort'. Often appears in phrases like 努力する, 努力が実る, 努力を重ねる.

彼かれの努ど力りょくが実みのって、大だい学がくに合ごう格かくした。
His efforts bore fruit and he passed the university entrance exam.

目もく標ひょうを達たっ成せいするために努ど力りょくし続つづける。

I will keep making efforts to achieve my goal.

Kanji

努toil, diligent, as much as possible
力power, strength, strong

Similar words

頑がん張ばる
頑張る is a more casual, everyday verb for 'do one's best' or 'hang in there', while 努力する is more formal and emphasizes sustained, deliberate effort.
骨ほね折おり
骨折り implies physical or mental toil and trouble, often with a nuance of hardship, whereas 努力 is a broader term for effort.

Etymology

Sino-Japanese compound of 努 (ど, 'to strive') and 力 (りょく, 'power'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the combination conveys the idea of exerting power diligently.