努 means “effort, strive”

ど · do

Also: toil, diligent, as much as possible

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

つとめる

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ド

JLPT N3 · Taught in grade 4 · 7 strokes

The story

A servant (奴) straining with every ounce of strength (力): hard, steady effort. It lives in 努力, effort, a favorite word for New Year calligraphy, and in 努める, to strive.

Used in 努力 (doryoku, effort), 努める (tsutomeru, to strive), and 努力家 (doryokuka, hard worker)

More from Victory & Defeat

• 倒 fall
• 戦 fight
• 勝 win
• 打 hit
• 争 compete
• 位 rank
• 格 status
• 球 ball
• 負 lose
• 失 lose
• 段 step
• 敗 defeat

Learn 努 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.