励はげむ

は

げ

む

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

励む · godan verb (-mu)

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	励はげむ	励はげまない
Polite	励はげみます	励はげみません
Past polite	励はげみました	励はげみませんでした
Past	励はげんだ	励はげまなかった
Te-form	励はげんで	励はげまないで
Desire	励はげみたい	励はげみたくない
Potential	励はげめる	励はげめない
Passive	励はげまれる	励はげまれない
Causative	励はげませる	励はげませない
Causative passive	励はげませられるalso 励はげまされる	励はげませられないalso 励はげまされない
Volitional	励はげもう
Polite volitional	励はげみましょう
Imperative	励はげめ	励はげむな
Conditional	励はげめば	励はげまなければ
Tara conditional	励はげんだら	励はげまなかったら

Pairs with励ます

Meanings

godan verb (-mu), intransitive verb

work hard; strive; devote oneself

Intransitive verb for putting sustained effort into something, often with a goal or duty in mind. Commonly used with に or ことに to mark the target of effort.

彼かれは毎まい日にち、試し験けん勉べん強きょうに励はげんでいる。
He works hard at studying for the exam every day.
健けん康こうのために、運うん動どうに励はげもうと思おもいます。
I intend to devote myself to exercise for my health.

See all 194 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉に励はげむto devote oneself to / work hard at something
彼かれは毎まい日にち、練れん習しゅうに励はげんでいる。
He practices diligently every day.
〈動どう詞し〉ことに励はげむto devote oneself to doing something
彼かの女じょは語ご学がくを学まなぶことに励はげんでいる。
She is diligently devoted to studying languages.

Expressions

勉べん強きょうに励はげむwork hard at one's studies; apply oneself to one's lessons

Kanji

励encourage, be diligent, inspire

Transitive / intransitive

励はげますN2
励む is the intransitive counterpart meaning 'to strive at' something oneself, while 励ます is the transitive verb meaning 'to encourage' someone else.

Related words

頑がん張ばるN5
頑張る is a casual, all-purpose word for doing one's best in any situation, while 励む implies sustained, focused effort toward a specific goal or duty.
努ど力りょくN3
努力する is a formal, abstract する-verb for 'making an effort', whereas 励む conveys personal, steady dedication to a task over time.
精しょう進じん
精進する has a slightly old-fashioned or spiritual nuance of devoting oneself to self-improvement, while 励む is a more neutral, everyday word for diligent effort.

Opposites

怠おこたるN2
怠る means to neglect or be negligent about a duty, the opposite of 励む's meaning of diligently applying oneself to it.

Word family

励はげみ
encouragement; incentive; stimulus
励はげみ合あい
mutual encouragement; friendly rivalry; emulation
励はげみ合あう
encourage each other; strive together; emulate one another

Written forms

励はげむUsage87%
Standard kanji spelling; the reading はげむ is the only reading for this form.
はげむUsage13%

Etymology

The kanji 励 means 'encourage' or 'strive.' The verb はげむ is a native Japanese word of uncertain origin, possibly related to the idea of urging oneself forward.