Stroke order, etymology and audio for every word.Start learning
努力 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
努力
nǔlì
great effort
HSK 3, ad, 9 strokes, rank #528, Medium
努力
nǔlì
to strive
HSK 3, ad, 9 strokes, rank #528, Medium
努力
nǔlì
to try hard
HSK 3, ad, 9 strokes, rank #528, Medium
nǔlì(nu3li4)nu li T3
1great effort
2to strive
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
努力nǔlì(nu3li4)
努力 (nǔlì) means to put in great effort or to strive towards a goal. It is commonly used in contexts where individuals are working hard to achieve something, whether academically, professionally, or personally. The term embodies a sense of determination and perseverance.
Strokes9Frequency#528DifficultyMedium
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 努力 is deeply valued and often associated with success, particularly in education and career advancement. It reflects the traditional belief in hard work leading to achievement.
Memory tip
Imagine a person (the character 努) pushing a heavy boulder (力) up a hill. The effort they exert symbolizes the meaning of 'to strive' or 'to try hard'. Visualizing this struggle can help you remember both the pronunciation and the character's meaning.
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI study notes for 努力
Quick Contrast
努力 (nǔlì) vs 尽力 (jìnlì) — use 努力 when emphasizing sustained effort towards a goal, while 尽力 focuses on doing one's best in a specific situation.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 努力 with similar words that imply ease or lack of effort, such as 放松 (fàngsōng, to relax). 努力 is often used in both formal and informal contexts, and common collocations include '努力工作' (to work hard) and '努力学习' (to study hard).
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 3 word, 努力 connects well with other verbs related to action and effort, such as 学 (to learn) and 做 (to do). Students should focus on using it in sentences to express personal goals or ambitions.
Common Mistakes
Learners often forget to use 努力 in context, resulting in sentences like '我努力' (Wǒ nǔlì) without specifying what they are striving for. A correct form would be '我努力工作' (Wǒ nǔlì gōngzuò) to convey the full meaning.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 努力
Premium — Locked
Tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 努力, say it back, see your pitch against the model voice, and earn XP towards mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 努力 through them.
Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.
How well do you know 努力?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 努力 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
努力 (nǔlì) means to put in great effort or to strive towards a goal. It is commonly used in contexts where individuals are working hard to achieve something, whether academically, professionally, or personally. The term embodies a sense of determination and perseverance.
When to use 努力
Be careful not to confuse 努力 with similar words that imply ease or lack of effort, such as 放松 (fàngsōng, to relax). 努力 is often used in both formal and informal contexts, and common collocations include '努力工作' (to work hard) and '努力学习' (to study hard).
努力 or something close to it
努力 (nǔlì) vs 尽力 (jìnlì) — use 努力 when emphasizing sustained effort towards a goal, while 尽力 focuses on doing one's best in a specific situation.
What learners get wrong
Learners often forget to use 努力 in context, resulting in sentences like '我努力' (Wǒ nǔlì) without specifying what they are striving for. A correct form would be '我努力工作' (Wǒ nǔlì gōngzuò) to convey the full meaning.
Write 努力
努
力
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 努力 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Grammar patterns of 努力
努力 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.
He strives to study hard, hoping to get into a good university.
Ask Jason
Have a question about 努力?
Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.
Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.
Cultural Notes for 努力
🌏Cross-cultural Insight
In Western cultures, the emphasis may also be on hard work, but there is often a stronger focus on work-life balance compared to the more collectivist approach in Chinese culture that prioritizes effort and perseverance.
Frequently asked questions about 努力
You can say '我会努力学习' (Wǒ huì nǔlì xuéxí), which means 'I will study hard.'
Some synonyms include 努劲 (nǔjìn, to strive) and 奋斗 (fèndòu, to fight for).
Yes, it can be used to express excessive effort to the point of harming oneself, such as in '他努力过头了' (Tā nǔlì guòtóule), meaning 'He overexerted himself.'
Jason Recommends
Not sure what to learn after 努力?
Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.
A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.
