勉 Meaning, Reading, and Vocabulary | Onyomi ベン・Kunyomi つと.める
勉 is an essential JLPT N4 kanji meaning 'to exert oneself' or 'to make an effort'.
It combines 免 (to escape/avoid) and 力 (power), signifying giving your all to overcome difficulties.
Its onyomi is ベン, and it is used in 勉強 (study), one of the most frequently used words in daily life.
Kanji at a glance
Core meaning / core image
勉 carries the core meaning of 'exerting oneself' or 'making an effort' with all one's might to achieve a goal or overcome a difficulty. In modern Japanese, it is most commonly encountered in the word for 'to study' (勉強).
Kanji structure breakdown
Mnemonic story
This character depicts someone using all their power (力) to escape (免) a difficult situation. The image of trying with all one's might gave rise to the meaning 'to exert oneself'.
On'yomi and kun'yomi
On reading
Kun reading
Commonly used words
Example sentences
Mini quiz
What is the correct reading for the word '勉強' (study), which includes the kanji 勉?
One-line summary
勉 means to exert power (力) to overcome difficulty (免), and is a core kanji used very frequently in daily life, primarily in the word 勉強 (べんきょう, study).
FAQ
What is the difference between 勉める and 努める?
Both words are read as 'つとめる' and mean 'to make an effort'. Generally, 努める is used much more often when pouring energy toward a goal. On the other hand, 勉める is sometimes used when there is a nuance of forcing oneself to do something or making an effort despite being reluctant.
Why does the word 勉強 (study) include the kanji 強 (strong/force)?
Originally, 勉強 (べんきょう) meant 'to exert oneself (勉) by force (強)', that is, to force oneself to do something unpleasant. Over time, it settled into its current meaning of 'studying', referring to applying oneself to academics.
