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March 24, 2026
奋(奮)fèn(fen4)
The character 奋 (fèn) means to exert oneself or strive for something, often implying a strong effort towards achieving a goal. It is commonly used in contexts related to personal ambition, motivation, and overcoming challenges. The nuance of this word suggests not just effort, but a passionate determination to succeed.
Strokes8Radical大Frequency#18014DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of striving through hard work is deeply embedded in the ethos of '努力' (nǔlì), which emphasizes persistence and dedication, especially in education and career pursuits.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person putting in all their energy to 'fennel' (sounds like 'fèn') a garden, pulling out weeds and planting seeds. The effort they put in symbolizes the determination to strive and make something grow, just like the meaning of 奋.
Meanings of 奋
fèn(fen4)
1exert oneself
2to strive, to exert effort; to arouse
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
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About 奋
奋Simplified
奮Traditional
8Strokes
大Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#18014Frequency Rank
Podcast: 奋
Podcast: 奋
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AI Study Notes for 奋
Quick Contrast
奋斗 (fèndòu) vs 努力 (nǔlì) — use 奋 when emphasizing passionate determination over general effort.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a person putting in all their energy to 'fennel' (sounds like 'fèn') a garden, pulling out weeds and planting seeds. The effort they put in symbolizes the determination to strive and make something grow, just like the meaning of 奋.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 奋 with similar-sounding words that have different meanings. It is typically used in a more formal context, often found in motivational speeches or literature. Common collocations include 奋斗 (fèndòu - to strive) and 奋发 (fènfā - to be vigorous).
HSK Study Tips
Although 奋 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it shares roots with other words related to effort and striving, such as 努力 (nǔlì - to work hard). Students should focus on recognizing its usage in phrases that express ambition and motivation.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of striving through hard work is deeply embedded in the ethos of '努力' (nǔlì), which emphasizes persistence and dedication, especially in education and career pursuits.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mistakenly use 奋 in informal settings where a simpler word like 努力 (nǔlì) would suffice. For example, saying '我想要奋' instead of '我想要努力' (I want to work hard) is incorrect.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 奋
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Grammar Patterns of 奋
奋 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. 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.
How do you motivate people to work hard and efficiently?
4
我认为取得成功唯一的共同要素是勤奋。
wǒ rèn wéi qǔ dé chéng gōng wéi yī de gòng tóng yào sù shì qín fèn。
I think the only common denominator of success is hard work.
5
这支队伍奋力拼搏，表现出色。
zhè zhī duì wǔ fèn lì pīn bó， ， biǎo xiàn chū。
The team fought hard and gave a good account of themselves.
6
他减税的承诺让亢奋的人群欢呼雀跃起来。
tā jiǎn shuì de chéng nuò ràng kàng fèn de rén qún huān hū què yuè qǐ lái。
His tax-cutting pledge brought a delirious crowd to their feet.
7
那个凉爽而晴朗的早晨让他异常兴奋。
nà gè liáng shuǎng ér qíng lǎng de zǎo chén ràng tā yì cháng xīng fèn。
He felt strangely exhilarated by the brisk, blue morning.
8
可以有机会了解幕后的工作，令人非常兴奋。
kě yǐ yǒu jī huì le jiě mù hòu de gōng zuò， ， líng rén fēi cháng xīng。
It'san exciting opportunity to learn what goes on behind the scenes.
9
这是个令人振奋的消息。
zhè shì gè líng rén zhèn fèn de xiāo xī。
This is heartening news.
10
埃里克的姐姐真好，自告奋勇帮助收拾花园。
āi lǐ kè de jiě jiě zhēn hǎo， ， zì gào fèn yǒng bāng zhù shōu shí huā。
Eric's sister had nobly volunteered to help with the gardening.
Cultural Notes for 奋
💡Did you know?
The character '奋' combines the radical for 'big' (大) and 'field' (田), symbolizing a strong effort put into work, much like a farmer laboring hard in the fields.
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the concept of striving through hard work is deeply embedded in the ethos of '努力' (nǔlì), which emphasizes persistence and dedication, especially in education and career pursuits.
📜Proverb
The Chinese saying '努力才能成功' translates to 'Only through effort can one succeed.' This reflects the value placed on hard work in Chinese culture.
🌏Cross-cultural Insight
In Western cultures, the emphasis on individual achievement and self-promotion often contrasts with the Chinese collectivist approach, where striving is often linked to group success and family honor.
Word Family of 奋
Compounds1
畚ben3hamper, straw basket
Words Containing This Character20
兴奋xīngfènexcited興奮
奋斗fèndòuto strive奮鬥
勤奋qínfènhardworking勤奮
奋力fènlìto strive奮力
振奋zhènfènto stir oneself up振奮
兴奋剂xīngfènjìstimulant興奮劑
奋战to fight bravely奮戰
艰苦奋斗jiānkǔfèndòuto struggle arduously艱苦奮鬥
亢奋excited亢奮
奋fènto exert oneself (bound form)奮
奋起to rise vigorously奮起
奋勇fènyǒngdauntless奮勇
奋进to endeavor奮進
奋不顾身regardless of perils奮不顧身
孤军奋战lit. lone army putting up a brave fight (idiom)孤軍奮戰
自告奋勇to volunteer for自告奮勇
奋发energetic mood奮發
奋发图强to work energetically for prosperity (of the country)奮發圖強
发奋to make an effort發奮
令人振奋inspiring令人振奮
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 畚 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 奋
Some synonyms for 奋 include 努力 (nǔlì), which means to work hard, and 奋斗 (fèndòu), which means to strive or struggle. These words also convey a sense of effort and determination in achieving goals.
Yes, 奋 is often used in everyday conversation, particularly when discussing effort and ambition. It can be applied in both formal and informal contexts, such as in motivational speeches or personal discussions about goals.
奋 (fèn) means to exert oneself or to strive. It reflects the idea of putting in effort and energy towards achieving something. In various contexts, it can also imply arousing or inspiring oneself or others to take action.
You can use 奋 in a sentence to express the idea of striving or making an effort. For example, you might say '他为了实现梦想而奋发努力' (Tā wèile shíxiàn mèngxiǎng ér fènfā nǔlì), which means 'He strives to work hard to achieve his dream.' This demonstrates its use in the context of dedication and effort.
Common phrases include 奋斗 (fèndòu - to strive) and 奋发 (fènfā - to be vigorous), both of which emphasize effort.
It is more commonly found in formal writing or speeches rather than in casual conversation.
While it shares a similar meaning with other words like 努力 (nǔlì), 奋 has a stronger connotation of passionate striving.
