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March 24, 2026
勤奋(勤奮)qínfèn(qin2fen4)
勤奋 (qín fèn) means hardworking or diligent, often used to describe someone who puts significant effort and dedication into their work or studies. It conveys a sense of persistence and commitment, and is commonly used in both academic and professional contexts to praise someone's work ethic.
Frequency#12544DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, diligence is highly valued, often viewed as a virtue that leads to success. This aligns with the Confucian ideal that hard work and perseverance are essential for achieving one's goals.
Memory Tip
Think of 勤 as '勤劳' (qín láo) meaning 'diligent labor', where the character's left side (禾) resembles a field, symbolizing hard work in agriculture. The right side (勤) sounds like 'qin', which can remind you of a hardworking 'queen' in a field, tirelessly tending to her crops.
Meanings of 勤奋
qínfèn(qin2fen4)
1hardworking
2diligent
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About 勤奋
勤奋Simplified
勤奮Traditional
—Strokes
—Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#12544Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L5IntermediateHSKKL3BCT✓CEFRB2
Podcast: 勤奋
Podcast: 勤奋
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AI Study Notes for 勤奋
Quick Contrast
勤劳 (qínláo) refers specifically to being industrious or laborious, emphasizing physical work, while 勤奋 (qínfèn) highlights diligence in effort and commitment, often in intellectual or academic contexts.
Memory Mnemonic
Think of 勤 as '勤劳' (qín láo) meaning 'diligent labor', where the character's left side (禾) resembles a field, symbolizing hard work in agriculture. The right side (勤) sounds like 'qin', which can remind you of a hardworking 'queen' in a field, tirelessly tending to her crops.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 勤奋 with 勤劳 (qín láo), which also means diligent but can imply physical labor rather than mental effort. This term is often used in formal settings, so it is essential to maintain an appropriate tone when complimenting someone's diligence.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 5 word, 勤奋 connects to other vocabulary around work ethic and dedication, like 学习 (xué xí, to study) and 努力 (nǔ lì, to strive). Focus on using it in sentences to describe behaviors or attitudes in academic or work environments.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, diligence is highly valued, often viewed as a virtue that leads to success. This aligns with the Confucian ideal that hard work and perseverance are essential for achieving one's goals.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 勤奋 with 轻松 (qīng sōng), which means relaxed or easy-going. For instance, saying '他很轻松' (Tā hěn qīngsōng) to mean 'He is very hardworking' is incorrect; the correct phrase would be '他很勤奋'.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 勤奋
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Grammar Patterns of 勤奋
勤奋 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
我认为取得成功唯一的共同要素是____。
I think the only common denominator of success is hard work.
Example Sentences for 勤奋 (8)
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1
我认为取得成功唯一的共同要素是勤奋。
wǒ rèn wéi qǔ dé chéng gōng wéi yī de gòng tóng yào sù shì qín fèn。
I think the only common denominator of success is hard work.
2
我钦佩他是个真正的科学家和勤奋工作的人。
wǒ qīn pèi tā shì gè zhēn zhèng de kē xué jiā hé qín fèn gōng zuò de rén。
I admired him as a true scientist and hard worker.
Tom is very diligent, whereas his brother is quite lazy.
Cultural Notes for 勤奋
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, diligence is highly valued, often viewed as a virtue that leads to success. This aligns with the Confucian ideal that hard work and perseverance are essential for achieving one's goals.
Frequently Asked Questions about 勤奋
You can say '他非常勤奋，学习很努力' (Tā fēicháng qínfèn, xuéxí hěn nǔlì) meaning 'He is very hardworking and studies very diligently.'
勤奋 is generally used in formal contexts, such as in academic or professional discussions, to describe someone’s work ethic.
Yes, 勤奋 is often used to describe students who are dedicated and put in a lot of effort into their studies.
