励
励·encourage, be diligent, inspire
- On-yomi
- れい
- Kun-yomi
- はげ.むはげ.ます
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 励ます | はげます | to encourage, to cheer up |
| 励む | はげむ | to work hard at, to strive |
| 激励 | げきれい | encouragement |
| 奨励 | しょうれい | promotion, encouragement (of an activity) |
Example sentences
友達が落ち込んでいたので励ました。
ともだちがおちこんでいたのではげました。
My friend was down, so I cheered him up.
毎日練習に励んでいる。
まいにちれんしゅうにはげんでいる。
I work hard at practice every day.
社長から激励の言葉をいただいた。
しゃちょうからげきれいのことばをいただいた。
We received words of encouragement from the president.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
Common mistakes
- Mixing up 励ます (transitive: encourage someone) with 励む (intransitive: apply oneself, takes に)
- Writing 奨励 as 賞励 — the first character is 奨
Memory aid
Picture it
Strength 力 tucked into the corner of a cliff: someone putting force behind you to push you onward.
Vocabulary using this kanji
Quick check
1 / 2Multiple choiceDifficulty 4 of 5
What does the kanji 励 mean?