Word
勤勉
Meaning in Englishindustry, diligence
Animated kanji stroke order
Sentence
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Word context
What it means
勤勉 means a steady, earnest commitment to work or study, embodying consistent effort over time. It describes a person who applies themselves with care, avoids laziness, and maintains focus toward long-term goals.
Main meanings
- Persistence in daily routines and steady performance over time, especially in academic or professional tasks.
- Formal, descriptor use in resumes, performance reviews, biographies, and educational assessments.
- Conveys a neutral to positive attribute of a person who consistently applies effort, often without rapid or flashy results.
How to use it
勤勉 is used in formal or semi-formal Japanese to describe a person's work ethic; it appears in biographies, corporate reports, and educational contexts. The noun form can be used with the adjectival inflection 勤勉な to modify people or groups; in casual speech a simpler term might be used instead.
Variants and close terms
- 勤勉さ (きんべんさ, kinbensa) – the quality or state of being diligent; similar nuance to 勤勉.
- 勤勉的 (きんべんてき, kinbenteki) – an adjective meaning diligent or showing diligence.
- 勤労 (きんろう, kinrō) – labor or toil; related concept with broader scope.
- 怠惰 (たいだ, taida) – laziness; antonym.
Composition
- 勤: to work, be diligent; duty, employment
- 勉: to exert, to strive, to endeavour; effort, discipline
- 勤勉 together conveys a sustained, conscientious work ethic that blends diligent activity with exerted effort
Word class
noun (na-adjective) (勤勉な)
Word
Related words by kanji and components
N1
勤務
kimmu
service, duty, work
N1
勤労
kinrou
labor, exertion, diligent service
N1
転勤
tenkin
transfer (to another office of a company)
N1
勤め先
tsutomesaki
place of work
N2
出勤
shukkin
going to work, at work
N3
通勤
tsuukin
commuting to work
N3
勤め
tsutome
employment, service, job
N5
勉強しています
benkyou shite imasu
am studying
N5
勉強します
benkyou shimasu
study
Kanji