(miǎn) - to exert oneself & to strive

Tone 3

miǎn | 9 strokes | radical: 力

· miǎn

to exert oneself;

to strive;

to encourage;

to make an effort

to exert oneselfto striveto encourage

Usage highlights

to encourageto striveto force oneselfto urge and encourageto exhort and encourageto encourage with rewards

Synonyms

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He works hard to improve himself (勉力).
  • We encourage each other to do better (互相勉励).
  • She strives to complete the task (勉力完成任务).
  • This is just a makeshift solution (勉强应付).

Collocations

  • to encourage(勉励)
  • to strive(勉力)
  • to force oneself(勉强)
  • to urge and encourage(劝勉)
  • to exhort and encourage(勖勉)
  • to encourage with rewards(奖勉)

Idioms

  • To encourage each other to make progress(勉励共进)
  • To force a smile(勉强一笑)
  • To make do with what one has(勉强凑合)
  • To exhort and encourage(勖勉有加)
  • Mutual encouragement(互相勉励)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Reflects Confucian values of self-cultivation and continuous improvement.
  • Often used in educational contexts to encourage diligence and perseverance.
  • Represents the virtue of making effort despite difficulties.

FAQ