• 努つとめる — to strive / to try
• 努力どりょく — effort / exertion
• 勉努べんど — diligence (formal)
• 努めつとめ — effort / task
• 努つとめて — diligently / as much as possible

The character 努 combines the phonetic 奴 and the radical 力 (power). It conveys the sense of pressing one’s strength toward a goal — symbolizing determined effort or willpower.

毎日まいにち、努力どりょくしています。
I make an effort every day.

もっと努つとめます。
I’ll try harder.

成功せいこうには 努力どりょくが必要ひつようです。
Effort is necessary for success.

🎧 The kunyomi つとめる is commonly used in everyday conversation, while the onyomi ド appears in compound words like 努力 (effort).