勤勉

• Reading: きんべん
• Romaji: kinben
• Kanji breakdown: 勤 (kin) — serve, work diligently; 勉 (ben) — endeavour, exert, study
• Pronunciation: /ki.ɴ.beɴ/

Meaning

Diligent; industrious; hard-working. Applying oneself earnestly and consistently to work or study.

A na-adjective describing a person who works or studies with sustained effort and dedication. Common in character descriptions (勤勉な学生 — a diligent student), cultural observations (日本人は勤勉だ — Japanese people are diligent), and praise. A core virtue in Japanese work culture, often appearing alongside 真面目 (earnest) and 努力家 (hard worker).

Examples

1. 勤勉な姿勢が評価されて昇進した。 His diligent attitude was recognized and he got promoted.
2. 彼女は勤勉で毎日欠かさず勉強している。 She is hardworking and studies every single day without fail.
3. 勤勉さだけでなく創造力も大事だと思う。 I think creativity is just as important as diligence.

Usage Guide

Context: character description, academics, workplace, cultural discussion

Tone: respectful

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese 勤 (kin, to serve/to work diligently) + 勉 (ben, to endeavour/to exert). Both characters embody earnest effort — 'diligently striving' through sustained application.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal