Meaning
励 covers two related ideas: pushing yourself hard toward a goal (to strive, to endeavor) and pushing someone else forward (to encourage, to cheer on). Both senses demand sustained, directed effort. The kanji turns up in motivation speeches, sports reporting, workplace culture, and everyday personal support.
Structurally, 励 is the shinjitai (simplified) form of the traditional character 勵. The original combined 萬 (ten thousand) with 力 (power, force) — effort applied at an overwhelming scale. Modern Japanese streamlined the top component, producing the compact 7-stroke form used today.
The radical is 力 (ちから, chikara) — power, strength. Every meaning of 励 runs through directed energy, whether mental, physical, or emotional. A jōyō kanji at the secondary-education level (Grade 8), it appears in formal writing, business correspondence, sports journalism, and literature.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The on'yomi is レイ (REI), from the Middle Chinese reading of 勵. It appears almost exclusively in formal compounds (熟語, jukugo) across academic, business, governmental, and literary registers.
- 奨励 (shōrei) — encouragement, official promotion of a behavior or activity. Used when a government body or institution formally recommends something — energy conservation, professional skills programs, and similar policies.
- 激励 (gekirei) — strong encouragement, a rousing pep talk. Used in intense moments: athletic competitions, rallying speeches, or heartfelt support during a difficult personal challenge.
- 励行 (reikō) — strict observance, thorough practice of a rule or habit. Appears in institutional notices demanding consistent compliance.
- 奮励 (funrei) — vigorous, strenuous effort; throwing oneself fully into a task.
- 督励 (tokurei) — supervisory encouragement; motivating others while overseeing their work.
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
Both kun'yomi share the stem はげ (hage) and appear frequently in spoken Japanese, carrying a sense of earnest, active effort.
はげ.む (hagemu) — to strive, to work hard (intransitive). The subject applies sustained effort toward a goal, marked by the particle に. The progressive form 励んでいる (hagande iru) is especially natural in conversation.
- 仕事に励む (shigoto ni hagemu) — to work hard at one's job
- 練習に励む (renshū ni hagemu) — to strive earnestly in practice
- 研究に励む (kenkyū ni hagemu) — to devote oneself to research
はげ.ます (hagemasu) — to encourage, to cheer someone up (transitive). You give support or energy to someone who is struggling — or just someone who needs a boost.
- 友達を励ます (tomodachi wo hagemasu) — to encourage a friend
- 選手を励ます (senshu wo hagemasu) — to cheer on athletes
- 落ち込んでいる人を励ます (ochikonde iru hito wo hagemasu) — to encourage someone who is feeling down
Common Words & Compounds
励 appears across formal documents, sports, workplace settings, and everyday conversation. The compounds below are organized by category.
Core Verbs
- 励む (hagemu) — to strive, to work diligently (intransitive)
- 励ます (hagemasu) — to encourage, to cheer someone on (transitive)
- 励まし合う (hagemashi au) — to encourage one another; common in teamwork and sports contexts
Nouns of Encouragement
- 励まし (hagemashi) — encouragement; a word or act of support
- 激励 (gekirei) — strong, rousing encouragement
- 奨励 (shōrei) — official or institutional promotion of a behavior
- 勉励 (benrei) — diligence, earnest sustained effort in study or work
Institutional and Formal Terms
- 励行 (reikō) — strict observance; thorough and consistent practice of rules
- 督励 (tokurei) — supervisory encouragement; motivating others while overseeing their work
- 奮励 (funrei) — strenuous, all-out effort
- 奨励金 (shōreikin) — incentive payment or encouragement grant awarded to promote certain behaviors
Self-Motivation and Literary Expressions
- 自励 (jirei) — self-encouragement; motivating oneself through inner resolve
- 励精 (reisei) — devotion and dedication; applying consistent effort to one's duties
- 鼓励 (korei) — encouragement (literary; less common in everyday speech)
Example Sentences
彼女は毎日、英語の勉強に励んでいます。
Kanojo wa mainichi, eigo no benkyō ni hagande imasu.
She puts real effort into her English studies every single day.
友達が私を励ましてくれたので、諦めずに続けられました。
Tomodachi ga watashi wo hagemashite kureta node, akiramezu ni tsuzukeraremashita.
Because my friend encouraged me, I was able to keep going without giving up.
監督の激励の言葉が、選手たちの心に火をつけた。
Kantoku no gekirei no kotoba ga, senshu-tachi no kokoro ni hi wo tsuketa.
The coach's words lit a fire in the athletes' hearts.
政府は環境に優しい製品の購入を奨励しています。
Seifu wa kankyō ni yasashii seihin no kōnyū wo shōrei shite imasu.
The government promotes the purchase of environmentally friendly products.
困難があっても、彼は仕事に励み続けた。
Konnan ga atte mo, kare wa shigoto ni hagemi tsuzuketa.
Even when difficulties arose, he kept working hard.
先生の励ましの言葉が、私の心に深く響いた。
Sensei no hagemashi no kotoba ga, watashi no kokoro ni fukaku hibita.
My teacher's words of encouragement resonated deeply.
チームメンバーはお互いを励まし合いながら、プロジェクトを完成させた。
Chīmu menbā wa otagai wo hagemashi ai nagara, purojekuto wo kansei saseta.
The team members encouraged one another and saw the project through to completion.
会社は社員の資格取得を奨励するため、受験費用を補助している。
Kaisha wa shain no shikaku shutoku wo shōrei suru tame, juken hiyō wo hojo shite iru.
The company subsidizes exam fees to encourage employees to obtain professional certifications.
彼女は弟が落ち込んでいるとき、いつも励ましてあげる。
Kanojo wa otōto ga ochikonde iru toki, itsumo hagemashite ageru.
She always encourages her younger brother when he's feeling down.
この規則は全員が励行するよう、徹底されている。
Kono kisoku wa zen'in ga reikō suru yō ni, tettei sarete iru.
This rule is enforced so that every member observes it strictly.
Memory Tip
Think of 励 as 力 (power) × 万 (ten thousand). The original character 勵 combined those two elements — effort applied at an overwhelming scale. When you spot 力 inside 励, it's not ordinary strength: it's multiplied. 励む means directing that force inward, at yourself. 励ます means directing it outward, into someone else.