Meaning
To put in exertion or hard work to achieve something.
Cultural Background
The 'Noryeok' (Effort) culture is central to the Korean identity, often linked to the 'Pali-pali' (hurry-hurry) culture. It emphasizes that results come from sweat, not just luck. Fans often praise idols for their {노력|努力} rather than just their talent. An idol who 'efforts' hard is often more respected than a naturally gifted one who is lazy. In companies, showing {노력|努力} is sometimes more important than the actual output. Staying late is seen as a visible sign of making an effort. There is a growing skepticism toward 'blind effort.' The term 'Noryeok-chung' reflects a cultural shift where people value work-life balance over endless striving.
Use with Adverbs
Pair it with '열심히' (diligently) or '꾸준히' (consistently) to sound more natural.
Avoid for Food
Never use this for trying food; it sounds like the food is an enemy you are battling.
Meaning
To put in exertion or hard work to achieve something.
Use with Adverbs
Pair it with '열심히' (diligently) or '꾸준히' (consistently) to sound more natural.
Avoid for Food
Never use this for trying food; it sounds like the food is an enemy you are battling.
The Promise Form
In interviews, always use '{노력|努力}하겠습니다' to sound professional and sincere.
Humble Response
When complimented, say '{노력|努力} 중이에요' (I'm in the middle of trying) to show humility.
Test Yourself
Complete the sentence with the correct form of {노력|努力}하다.
시험에 합격하기 위해 매일 열심히 ______.
The sentence describes a general ongoing effort to pass an exam.
Which sentence is correct?
Which of these is the correct way to say 'I am trying to learn Korean'?
The pattern '~려고 {노력|努力}하다' is the correct way to express striving to do an action.
Match the situation to the best use of {노력|努力}하다.
Situation: You are promising your boss to improve your performance.
This is the standard formal promise of future effort in a workplace.
Fill in the blank in the dialogue.
가: 한국어 공부가 힘들지 않아요? 나: 힘들지만 잘하고 싶어서 ______.
'~중이에요' (in the middle of) perfectly describes the ongoing process of studying.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Try vs. Effort
Practice Bank
4 exercises시험에 합격하기 위해 매일 열심히 ______.
The sentence describes a general ongoing effort to pass an exam.
Which of these is the correct way to say 'I am trying to learn Korean'?
The pattern '~려고 {노력|努力}하다' is the correct way to express striving to do an action.
Situation: You are promising your boss to improve your performance.
This is the standard formal promise of future effort in a workplace.
가: 한국어 공부가 힘들지 않아요? 나: 힘들지만 잘하고 싶어서 ______.
'~중이에요' (in the middle of) perfectly describes the ongoing process of studying.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
12 questionsNo, use '신어 보다'. {노력|努力}하다 is for hard work, not testing products.
{노력|努力}하다 is more formal and systematic. '애쓰다' is more native and implies a desperate struggle.
It is a verb. The noun form is just {노력|努力} (effort).
You can say '최선을 다하고 있어요' or '정말 {노력|努力}하고 있어요'.
It's better to use '생각해 보려고 하다' or '애쓰다'. {노력|努力}하다 sounds a bit too heavy for that.
They are criticizing the older generation who tells youth to just 'work harder' without fixing social inequality.
It means 'lack of effort.' It's a common (and sometimes harsh) critique in Korea.
Yes, but use the informal form '{노력|努力}할게' or '{노력|努力} 중이야'.
No, it only describes the process. You can {노력|努力}하다 and still fail.
게으름을 피우다 (to be lazy) or 포기하다 (to give up).
Yes, it's very common to write about your daily efforts in a journal.
Young people use '열일' (passionate work) or '갓생' (God-life) to describe effort.
Related Phrases
최선을 다하다
synonymTo do one's best
애쓰다
similarTo struggle/strive
힘쓰다
similarTo devote strength to
공을 들이다
specialized formTo put a lot of care/effort into something
열심히 하다
similarTo do diligently
