Japanese Dictionary

Meaning of 頑張る(がんばる) in Japanese

頑張る
JLPT 4
Kana Reading
がんばる
Romaji
ganbaru
Word Senses
  • Parts of speech
    Godan verb with `ru' ending, intransitive verb
    Meaning
    to persevere; to persist; to keep at it; to hang on; to hold out; to do one's best
    Example sentence
    明日雨のようだががんばろう。 It looks like rain tomorrow, but I'll try my best.
  • Parts of speech
    Meaning
    to insist that; to stick to (one's opinion)
    Example sentence
    この気持ちが冷めないうちにがんばります！！「鉄は熱いうちに打て」といいますから。 I'm going to get going before this feeling goes!! Well they do say "Strike while the iron is hot".
  • Parts of speech
    Meaning
    to remain in a place; to stick to one's post; to refuse to budge
    Example sentence
    レギュラーになるなら、人一倍頑張らなくっちゃ。 If I'm to become a regular, I have to work twice as hard as the rest.

Examples of 頑張る, がんばる in a sentence

Verb Conjugations

Non-Past

Plain
頑張る
Plain Polite
頑張ります
Negative
頑張らない
Negative Polite
頑張りません

Past

Plain
頑張った
Plain Polite
頑張りました
Negative
頑張らなかった
Negative Polite
頑張りませんでした

Te

Plain
頑張って
Plain Polite
頑張りまして
Negative
--
Negative Polite
--

Passive

Plain
頑張られる
Plain Polite
頑張られます
Negative
頑張られない
Negative Polite
頑張られません
()

Kanji in this word

頑 JLPT 1

13 strokes

stubborn, foolish, firmly

On'Yomi: ガン

Kun'Yomi: かたく

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張 JLPT 2

11 strokes

lengthen, counter for bows & stringed instruments, stretch, spread, put up (tent)

On'Yomi: チョウ

Kun'Yomi: は.る, -は.り, -ば.り

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