竭力

• Pinyin: jié lì
• Hanzi breakdown: 竭 = 立 + 曷 — to exhaust; 力 = strength

Meaning

To try one's best; to make every effort. Striving with all one's might.

More literary and formal than 尽力. Often used before verbs to indicate making maximum effort toward a goal. Common in written Chinese and formal speech. Implies persistence and determination.

Examples

1. 政府竭力控制物价上涨，稳定市场秩序。 The government is making every effort to control price increases and stabilize market order.
2. 他竭力保持冷静，但内心其实非常焦虑。 He tried his best to stay calm, but was actually very anxious inside.
3. 团队竭力在截止日期前完成项目。 The team is making every effort to complete the project before the deadline.

Usage Guide

Context: effort, work, determination

Tone: determined

Do Say

• 我们竭力避免这种情况。(We tried our best to avoid this situation.)
• 他竭力说服大家。(He tried his utmost to persuade everyone.)

Don't Say

• 在口语中过度使用'竭力' (Don't overuse 竭力 in casual speech — use 尽量 or 努力; 竭力 sounds formal)

Origin & History

Composed of 竭 (to exhaust) + 力 (strength). Indicates using up all one's strength in an endeavor.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Educated speakers