勤 means “work for, diligence”

つとめる · tsutomeru

Also: become employed, serve

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)
つとめる, つとまる, いそしむ
On'yomi (Chinese reading)
キン, ゴン

JLPT N3 · Taught in grade 6 · 12 strokes

The story

Strength (力) on the right, spent day after day at the same desk: 勤 is the steady work of showing up. You 勤める at a company, and 通勤 is the packed train ride that gets you there every morning.

Used in 勤める (tsutomeru, to work for), 通勤 (tsuukin, commuting), and 出勤 (shukkin, going to work)

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