JLPT N4 kanji. Readings, meaning, and how the character is built.
勉 means exertion, endeavour, encourage. It is a JLPT N4 kanji written in 10 strokes, read べん or つとめる. It combines 力 (power, strength), which carries the meaning, with 免, which is there for its sound べん. It appears in 勉強 (study) and 勤勉 (industry / diligence).
勉 is written in 10 strokes, in the order numbered below. Order matters: it is what makes handwriting legible, and it is how the character is looked up in a paper dictionary.
勉 breaks into 2 parts.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 勉強 | べんきょう | study |
| 勤勉 | きんべん | industry / diligence |
免 tends to carry the sound べん. They carry it; they do not all mean the same thing.
| Reading | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|
| 免 | べん | excuse, dismissal |
| 勉 | べん | exertion, endeavour |
These use 免 or 力 too. The part keeps its job from one character to the next, which is what makes it worth learning once.
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