► 副詞
折角 [せっかく] meaning: effort rank: 1
☆ 試合は中止になってしまったけれど、折角ここまで来たんだんから何か他の事をしよう ⇨ The game was canceled, but we came all the way down here, so let’s take the opportunity and do something else
☆ 折角用意した料理が全て無駄になってしまった ⇨ The food we had spent a lot of time preparing became all wasted (☛ Have spent time and effort, so should not be wasted)
態々 [(1)わざわざ] meaning: effort rank: 2
☆ わざわざ来て頂いて申し訳有りません ⇨ I apologize for, am very appreciative of, your taking the trouble to come here
☆ わざわざ行かなくても電話すればいいだろう ⇨ There is no need to go there. You can just call
努めて [(2)つとめて] meaning: effort rank: 4
☆ 暗い日々の中で彼女は努めて明るく振る舞おうとしている ⇨ She is trying to behave positively in the dark days
► 動詞
頑張る [(3)がんばる] meaning: effort rank: 1
☆ 子供のために頑張ろうと思う ⇨ I’m determined to work hard for my children
☆ 頑張れ！ ⇨ Hanging in there!
努める [(3)つとめる] [liter] meaning: effort rank: 2
☆ 彼は健康的な生活を送るように努めている ⇨ He is striving to live a healthy lifestyle
精進 [(1)しょうじん] [精進する] meaning: effort rank: 4
☆ 今後も精進して参ります ⇨ I will keep working hard (☛ Originally about devoting oneself to Buddhism)
尽力 [じんりょく] [尽力する] meaning: effort rank: 4
☆ 彼は地方経済の活性化に尽力した ⇨ He worked hard to vitalize the local economy
腐心 [ふしん] [腐心する] [liter] meaning: effort rank: 4
☆ 彼は党内の調整に腐心した ⇨ He has spent a lot of energy trying to mediate within the party
► 成句
胡座 [あぐら] [胡座をかく] meaning: effort rank: 3
☆ 過去の成功に胡座をかいていてはいけない ⇨ We cannot sit relaxed on their past success, rest on our laurels (☛ Get too relaxed, and stop being alert and making efforts)
精 [(1)せい] [精を出す] meaning: effort rank: 3
☆ 彼は勉強に精を出している ⇨ He is studying hard
骨 [(2)ほね] [骨を折る] meaning: effort rank: 3
☆ 彼は私が仕事に就けるよう骨を折ってくれた ⇨ He broke his bones, went out of his ways, to get me a job (☛ Especially make a lot of effort for someone else)
心血 [(1)しんけつ] [心血を注ぐ] [liter] meaning: effort rank: 4
☆ 彼が心血を注いで育てた事業 ⇨ The business he grew pouring his mind and blood, his blood, sweat and tears
► 名詞
全力 [ぜんりょく] meaning: effort rank: 1
☆ 全力を尽くしたから悔いは無い ⇨ I did my very best so I have no regrets (☛ Literally “all power”)
☆ 駅まで全力で走ったけど電車を逃してしまった ⇨ I ran to the station as fast as I could but missed the train (☛ Literally “all power”)
血 [ち] [血が滲む] meaning: effort rank: 1
☆ 彼は血が滲むような努力を重ねてきた ⇨ He has been working so hard that he almost bleeds. He has been putting in his blood, sweat and tears in his work (☛ A common expression)
力 [(2)ちから] [力が入る] meaning: effort rank: 1
☆ 自分の子供が参加しているので試合の応援に力が入った (ちからがはいる) ⇨ I cheered even harder because my kid was playing in the game
力 [(2)ちから] [力を入れる] meaning: effort rank: 1
☆ 国全体としてもっと教育に力を入れるべきだ ⇨ We need to put more efforts into education as a whole country
力 [(2)ちから] [力を合わせる] meaning: effort rank: 1
☆ 夫婦で力を合わせて生きてきた ⇨ We, husband and wife, have lived together joining forces, working together, helping each other
努力 [(1)どりょく] meaning: effort rank: 1
☆ 彼は努力の人だ ⇨ He is a man of hard work (rather than natural talents)
☆ 日頃からの努力の積み重ねが大切だ ⇨ The accumulation of efforts from every day is important
努力 [(1)どりょく] [努力する] meaning: effort rank: 1
☆ 努力せずに優れた技を身に付けることは出来ない ⇨ You can’t get great skills without working hard
頑張り [がんばり] meaning: effort rank: 2
☆ 彼は頑張りが足りない ⇨ He is lacking efforts
御苦労 [(2)ごくろう] meaning: effort rank: 2
☆ 御苦労様でした ⇨ Thank you for your hard work (☛ A phrase when work is finished. Typically used by a senior toward a junior)
要領 [(3)ようりょう] [要領が悪い] meaning: effort rank: 2
☆ 私は子供の時から要領が悪かった ⇨ I have never been smooth, shrewd, quick learner, effortless, since I was a kid (☛ Doesn’t mean “stupid” or “incompetent”. Rather not good at doing things with minimal efforts)
要領 [(3)ようりょう] [要領が良い] meaning: effort rank: 2
☆ 彼は大していい仕事をしないのに要領が良いので出世している ⇨ He hasn’t done particularly good job but knows how to make himself look good, and that’s why he gets promoted (☛ Doesn’t mean “intelligent” or “competent”. Rather just good at doing things with minimal efforts, often with passable results)
頑張り屋 [がんばりや] meaning: effort rank: 3
☆ 彼女は大変な頑張り屋だ ⇨ She’s a real hard worker (☛ Especially someone works hard despite adverse conditions)
死力 [(1)しりょく] meaning: effort rank: 3
☆ 彼等は死力を尽くして戦った ⇨ He battled with everything he had (☛ Literally “death power”)
努力家 [どりょくか] meaning: effort rank: 3
☆ 彼は大変な努力家だ ⇨ He is a real hard worker
労力 [(1)ろうりょく] meaning: effort rank: 3
☆ 神社の修復には大変な労力がかかる ⇨ It will take a tremendous amount of labor to repair the shrine
労 [(1)ろう] [liter] meaning: effort rank: 4
☆ 彼女は高齢にも関わらず農作業の労を厭わない ⇨ She doesn’t mind the hard work of farming despite her advanced age
☆ 社長は社員の労をねぎらった ⇨ The CEO praised the hard work of the employees
► 形容動詞
一生懸命 [(6)いっしょうけんめい] meaning: effort rank: 1
☆ 一生懸命頑張ります ⇨ I will do my very best
☆ 彼は仕事をするより上司に取り入ることに一生懸命だ ⇨ He spends more energy on brown-nosing his boss than getting his work done