努力

• Pinyin: nǔ lì
• Hanzi breakdown: 努 (nǔ) — to exert, to strive; 力 (lì) — strength, power

Meaning

Hardworking; diligent; to work hard; to make an effort. Describes putting in great effort towards a goal.

Can function as both an adjective (a hardworking person) and a verb (to work hard). It is one of the most common words of encouragement in Chinese. Often used by parents, teachers, and bosses to motivate others.

Examples

1. 他学习非常努力。 He studies extremely hard.
2. 只要你努力，就能成功。 As long as you work hard, you can succeed.
3. 老师说我们要更努力才行。 The teacher said we need to try harder.

Usage Guide

Context: encouragement, school, work

Tone: motivational

Do Say

• 加油，继续努力！(Keep going, keep working hard!)
• 她是一个很努力的学生。(She is a very hardworking student.)

Don't Say

• 不要对正在难过的人只说'你要努力' (Don't just tell someone who is upset to 'try harder' — it can sound dismissive of their feelings)

Origin & History

Compound of 努 (to exert, to strive) and 力 (strength, power). Together they convey the idea of putting forth one's full strength.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal