努力

Chinese

		to exert; to strive	power; force; strength
trad. (努力)		努	力
simp. ^#(努力)		努	力

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): nǔlì

(Zhuyin): ㄋㄨˇ ㄌㄧˋ
Cantonese (Jyutping): nou⁵ lik⁶
Gan (Wiktionary): lu³ lit⁶
Hakka
(Sixian, PFS): nú-li̍t

(Hailu, HRS): nu^ˊ lid^ˋ
Southern Min
(Hokkien, POJ): nó͘-le̍k / lǒ͘-lia̍k / ló͘-le̍k

(Teochew, Peng'im): no³ lag⁸
Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ⁶nu-liq

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: nǔlì
  - Zhuyin: ㄋㄨˇ ㄌㄧˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: nǔlì
  - Wade–Giles: nu³-li⁴
  - Yale: nǔ-lì
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: nuulih
  - Palladius: нули (nuli)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /nu²¹⁴⁻²¹ li⁵¹/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
  - Jyutping: nou⁵ lik⁶
  - Yale: nóuh lihk
  - Cantonese Pinyin: nou⁵ lik⁹
  - Guangdong Romanization: nou⁵ lig⁶
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /nou̯¹³ lɪk̚²/
  - Homophones:
    ^edit
    ^edit
    努力
    腦力 / 脑力
Gan
- (Nanchang)
  - Wiktionary: lu³ lit⁶
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /lu²¹³⁻¹³ lit̚⁵/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: nú-li̍t
  - Hakka Romanization System: nu^ˋ lid
  - Hagfa Pinyim: nu³ lid⁶
  - Sinological IPA: /nu³¹ lit̚⁵/
- (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
  - Hakka Romanization System: nu^ˊ lid^ˋ
  - Sinological IPA: /nu²⁴⁻³³ lit²/
Southern Min
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Zhangzhou)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: nó͘-le̍k
  - Tâi-lô: nóo-li̍k
  - Phofsit Daibuun: noflek
  - IPA (Zhangzhou): /nɔ̃⁵³⁻⁴⁴ liɪk̚¹²¹/
  - IPA (Xiamen): /nɔ̃⁵³⁻⁴⁴ liɪk̚⁴/
- (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: lǒ͘-lia̍k
  - Tâi-lô: lǒo-lia̍k
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /lɔ²² liak̚²⁴/
- (Hokkien: General Taiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: ló͘-le̍k
  - Tâi-lô: lóo-li̍k
  - Phofsit Daibuun: loflek
  - IPA (Taipei): /lɔ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ liɪk̚⁴/
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /lɔ⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ liɪk̚⁴/
- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: no³ lag⁸
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: nò la̍k
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /no²¹³⁻⁵⁵ lak̚⁴/
Wu
- (Northern: Shanghai)
  - Wugniu: ⁶nu-liq
  - MiniDict: nu^去 lih
  - Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ³nu-liq
  - Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /nu²² liɪʔ⁴⁴/

Verb

努⫽力 (verb-object)

to make an effort; to strive; to endeavor; to work hard
不懈努力 ― bùxiè nǔlì ― to persevere; perseverance

共同努力 ― gòngtóng nǔlì ― to work together

我會好好努力把我的博士讀完。 [MSC, trad.]
我会好好努力把我的博士读完。 [MSC, simp.]
Wǒ huì hǎohǎo nǔlì bǎ wǒ de bóshì dúwán. [Pinyin]
I will work hard to finish my doctorate.

要是現在不努力的話，將來會後悔的。 [MSC, trad.]
要是现在不努力的话，将来会后悔的。 [MSC, simp.]
Yàoshì xiànzài bù nǔlì dehuà, jiānglái huì hòuhuǐ de. [Pinyin]
If you don't work hard now, you'll regret it later on.

我一直在嘗試努力，可結果總是不盡人意。 [MSC, trad.]
我一直在尝试努力，可结果总是不尽人意。 [MSC, simp.]
Wǒ yīzhí zài chángshì nǔlì, kě jiéguǒ zǒngshì bùjìn rényì. [Pinyin]
I have been putting in a lot of effort, but the results are always less than satisfactory.

Synonyms

edit

一力 (yīlì)
下力 (xiàlì)
不遺餘力 / 不遗余力 (bùyíyúlì)
僶俛 / 𠊟俯 (mǐnmiǎn) (literary)
儘力 / 尽力 (jǐnlì) (archaic)
全力以赴 (quánlìyǐfù)
出力 (chūlì)
力 (lì) (literary, or in compounds)
力圖 / 力图 (lìtú)
力求 (lìqiú)
力爭 / 力争 (lìzhēng)
加勁 / 加劲 (jiājìn)
勉力 (miǎnlì)
呵嘶呵嘶 (o⁴ sr¹ o⁴ sr¹) (Xiang)
強力 / 强力 (qiánglì) (literary)
悉力 (xīlì) (literary)
打拼 (dǎpīn)
拍拚 (Hokkien, Teochew)
拍灘 / 拍滩 (Xiamen Hokkien)
拼搏 (pīnbó)
搏 (bó) (literary, or in compounds)
摔拍 (Zhangzhou Hokkien)
攢勁 / 攒劲 (zan³ jin⁴) (Xiang)
旅力 (lǚlì) (literary)
極力 / 极力 (jílì)
殫力 / 殚力 (dānlì)
用力 (yònglì)
盡力 / 尽力 (jìnlì)
竭力 (jiélì)
竭盡全力 / 竭尽全力 (jiéjìnquánlì)
落力 (lok⁶ lik⁶) (Cantonese, Hakka, Hokkien, Teochew, Wenzhounese, Pinghua)
賣力 / 卖力 (màilì)
賣力氣 / 卖力气 (mài lìqi)

Adjective

努力

hard-working; diligent; industrious
一個非常努力的員工 [MSC, trad.]
一个非常努力的员工 [MSC, simp.]
yī ge fēicháng nǔlì de yuángōng [Pinyin]
a hardworking employee

Synonyms

edit

下力 (xiàlì) (Muping Mandarin)
亹亹 (wěiwěi) (literary)
伶落 (lìng-lŏ̤h) (Eastern Min)
刻苦 (kèkǔ)
力落 (lag⁸ loh⁸) (Teochew)
勤力 (qínlì) (literary or Cantonese)
勤勉 (qínmiǎn)
勤勞 / 勤劳 (qínláo)
勤奮 / 勤奋 (qínfèn)
勤快 (qínkuài) (informal)
勤懇 / 勤恳 (qínkěn) (diligent and conscientious)
勤謹 / 勤谨 (Dungan)
堅苦 / 坚苦 (jiānkǔ) (hardworking and persevering)
巴劫 (bājié) (literary)
巴巴結結 / 巴巴结结 (bāba-jiējiē) (regional)
急計 / 急计 (Zhangzhou Hokkien)
用功 (yònggōng)
發狠 / 发狠 (fa³ hen⁶) (Xiang)
耐勞 / 耐劳 (nàiláo)
骨力 (Hokkien, Puxian Min)

Antonyms

懶惰／懒惰 (lǎnduò)

Adverb

努力

diligently; hard (with a great deal of effort)
非常努力地工作 ― fēicháng nǔlì de gōngzuò ― to work extremely hard

Noun

努力

endeavor; ability; effort
盡最大的努力／尽最大的努力 ― jìn zuìdà de nǔlì ― to do all one can

資質愚笨的人應加倍努力，方可獲致成功。 [MSC, trad.]
资质愚笨的人应加倍努力，方可获致成功。 [MSC, simp.]
Zīzhì yúbèn de rén yìng jiābèi nǔlì, fāng kě huòzhì chénggōng. [Pinyin]
People who are naturally clumsy should redouble their efforts in order to achieve success.

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (努力):

→ Japanese: 努(ど)力(りょく) (doryoku)
→ Korean: 노력(努力) (noryeok)
→ Vietnamese: nỗ lực (努力)

Japanese

Kanji in this term
努	力
ど Grade: 4	りょく Grade: 1
kan'on

Etymology

From Middle Chinese compound 努力 (MC nuX lik, literally “to exert + strength”). Compare modern Cantonese reading nou⁵ lik⁶ or Min Nan ló͘-le̍k.

Pronunciation

(Tokyo) どりょく [dóꜜryòkù] (Atamadaka – [1])^[1]^[2]
IPA^(key): [do̞ɾʲo̞kɯ̟]

Noun

努(ど)力(りょく) • (doryoku)

an effort, an endeavor

Synonyms

労力(ろうりょく) (rōryoku), 尽力(じんりょく) (jinryoku)

Verb

努(ど)力(りょく)する • (doryoku suru) suru (stem 努(ど)力(りょく)し (doryoku shi), past 努(ど)力(りょく)した (doryoku shita))

to endeavor, to make an effort
彼(かれ)は試験(しけん)に合格(ごうかく)するために努力(どりょく)した。
Kare wa shiken ni gōkaku suru tame ni doryoku shita.
He worked hard to pass the exam.

Conjugation

Conjugation of "努力する" (See Appendix:Japanese verbs)

Katsuyōkei ("stem forms")
Mizenkei ("imperfective")	努力し	どりょくし	doryoku shi
Ren’yōkei ("continuative")	努力し	どりょくし	doryoku shi
Shūshikei ("terminal")	努力する	どりょくする	doryoku suru
Rentaikei ("attributive")	努力する	どりょくする	doryoku suru
Kateikei ("hypothetical")	努力すれ	どりょくすれ	doryoku sure
Meireikei ("imperative")	努力せよ¹ 努力しろ²	どりょくせよ¹ どりょくしろ²	doryoku seyo¹ doryoku shiro²
Key constructions
Passive	努力される	どりょくされる	doryoku sareru
Causative	努力させる努力さす	どりょくさせるどりょくさす	doryoku saseru doryoku sasu
Potential	努力できる	どりょくできる	doryoku dekiru
Volitional	努力しよう	どりょくしよう	doryoku shiyō
Negative	努力しない	どりょくしない	doryoku shinai
Negative continuative	努力せず	どりょくせず	doryoku sezu
Formal	努力します	どりょくします	doryoku shimasu
Perfective	努力した	どりょくした	doryoku shita
Conjunctive	努力して	どりょくして	doryoku shite
Hypothetical conditional	努力すれば	どりょくすれば	doryoku sureba
¹ Written imperative ² Spoken imperative

Synonyms

努(つと)める (tsutomeru)

References

^ NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, editor (1998), NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 [NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary] (in Japanese), Tokyo: NHK Publishing, Inc., →ISBN
^ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN

2002, Ineko Kondō; Fumi Takano; Mary E Althaus; et. al., Shogakukan Progressive Japanese-English Dictionary, Third Edition, Tokyo: Shōgakukan, →ISBN.

Korean

Hanja in this term
努	力

Noun

努力 • (noryeok) (hangeul 노력)

hanja form^? of 노력 (“an effort, an endeavor”)

Vietnamese

chữ Hán Nôm in this term
努	力

Noun

努力

chữ Hán form of nỗ lực (“great effort; endeavor”)

Verb

努力

chữ Hán form of nỗ lực (“to strive; to endeavor”)

[NHK-1] NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, editor (1998), NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 [NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary] (in Japanese), Tokyo: NHK Publishing, Inc., →ISBN

[DJR-2] Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN

[1]

[2]

Chinese

Pronunciation

Verb

Synonyms

Adjective

Synonyms

Antonyms

Adverb

Noun

Descendants

See also

Japanese

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Synonyms

Verb

Conjugation

Synonyms

References

Korean

Noun

Vietnamese

Noun

Verb