Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "働く" vs "努力"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
働く
はたらく (hataraku)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
努力
どりょく (doryoku)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both 働く and 努力 are often translated to English but have distinct usages.
働く (はたらく (hataraku)) represents "to work" (Level: N5) and typically represents Describes the act of working or being employed. Polite form is 働きます.
On the other hand, 努力 (どりょく (doryoku)) translates to "effort; exertion" (Level: N4) and is used for Refers to hard work or earnest endeavor towards a goal. Often used with する. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
Bilingual Sentence for "働く"
私の父は銀行で働いています。
My father works at a bank.
Bilingual Sentence for "努力"
彼の成功は日々の努力の結果です。
His success is the result of daily effort.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "私の父は銀行で働いています。" (Meaning: "My father works at a bank.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "働く" fits here because it represents "to work" in the context: "My father works at a bank.".