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March 24, 2026
努nǔ(nu3)
The character 努 (nǔ) means 'to exert' or 'to strive,' often in the context of making efforts toward a goal. It is commonly used to express hard work or determination in both personal and professional settings. The nuance leans towards a strong effort, emphasizing persistence and dedication.
Strokes7Radical力Frequency#11283DifficultyEasy
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 'striving' is deeply valued, often associated with Confucian ideals of hard work and perseverance. The phrase '努力学习' (nǔlì xuéxí) meaning 'to study hard' is commonly heard among students, reflecting the societal emphasis on education and effort.
Memory tip
Imagine a person lifting a heavy weight with great effort and determination — this visualizes 'striving' or 'exerting' oneself. The character 努 looks like a person pushing forward, with the top part suggesting arms reaching out and the bottom part suggesting a strong base.
Meanings of 努
nǔ(nu3)
1to exert
2to strive
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 努
努Simplified
7Strokes
力Radical
副形词xíngróngcíadj-adverb (adj.-adv.)Part of Speech
#11283Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L2
Podcast: 努
Podcast: 努
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AI study notes for 努
Quick Contrast
努 (nǔ) vs 力 (lì) — use 努 when emphasizing effort or striving, while 力 refers more generally to strength or power.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 努 with similar-sounding words or characters like 努力 (nǔlì), which means 'to make an effort.' It's important to use 努 in contexts that emphasize striving rather than just effort alone. Remember that 努 can also be used in informal contexts, but check for collocations like 努力工作 (to work hard).
HSK Study Tips
Although 努 is not part of HSK vocabulary lists, it connects well with other verbs of effort and action, such as 做 (zuò - to do) and 努力 (nǔlì - to strive). Focus on integrating it with phrases that convey goal-oriented actions to enhance your vocabulary at this level.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mistakenly use 努 in contexts where 努力 should be used, such as saying '我努力' (wǒ nǔ) instead of '我努力工作' (wǒ nǔlì gōngzuò). Always pair 努 with relevant actions to convey the full meaning.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 努
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努 = 力 + 奴. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 努
IDS Structure⿱奴力
努Full character
=
奴nu2
top
力Li4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 努?
How to say to exert in Chinese
“to exert” in Chinese is努nǔ
The character 努 (nǔ) means 'to exert' or 'to strive,' often in the context of making efforts toward a goal. It is commonly used to express hard work or determination in both personal and professional settings. The nuance leans towards a strong effort, emphasizing persistence and dedication.
When to use 努
Learners often confuse 努 with similar-sounding words or characters like 努力 (nǔlì), which means 'to make an effort.' It's important to use 努 in contexts that emphasize striving rather than just effort alone. Remember that 努 can also be used in informal contexts, but check for collocations like 努力工作 (to work hard).
努 or something close to it
努 (nǔ) vs 力 (lì) — use 努 when emphasizing effort or striving, while 力 refers more generally to strength or power.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mistakenly use 努 in contexts where 努力 should be used, such as saying '我努力' (wǒ nǔ) instead of '我努力工作' (wǒ nǔlì gōngzuò). Always pair 努 with relevant actions to convey the full meaning.
Write 努
努
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Grammar patterns of 努
努 functions as an adverb — it modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb. In Chinese, adverbs sit BEFORE the verb they modify (我也去, 他常常迟到), never after it. It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
瓦努阿图wǎnǔ’ātúVanuatu in south pacific (formerly New Hebrides)瓦努阿圖
努比亚nǔbǐyàNubia努比亞
努嘴nǔzuǐto pout
Exercise 1 of 4
Words with 努
What does 努力 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 努
In daily conversation, 努 can be used to motivate yourself or others. For example, you might say, '我们要一起努力' (Wǒmen yào yīqǐ nǔlì), meaning 'We need to strive together.' It's a great way to encourage teamwork and collective effort.
Common phrases that include 努 are '努力工作' (nǔlì gōngzuò), meaning 'to work hard,' and '努力学习' (nǔlì xuéxí), which means 'to study hard.' These phrases illustrate the use of 努 to convey effort in various contexts.
You can use 努 (nǔ) in sentences to express effort, such as '我会努力学习' (Wǒ huì nǔlì xuéxí), which means 'I will strive to study hard.' It emphasizes the action of trying hard to achieve a goal.
努 (nǔ) means 'to exert' or 'to strive' in Chinese. It is often used in contexts where one is making an effort or trying hard to achieve something. Additionally, it can imply a sense of determination or dedication.
It means 'to exert' or 'to strive,' often used in contexts of making efforts.
You can use it in phrases like '我努力工作' (wǒ nǔlì gōngzuò), meaning 'I strive to work hard.'
It can be used in both formal and informal contexts, but it’s commonly found in everyday conversation.
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