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How to Say ‘To do one's best; to work hard’ in Japanese

頑張る

ganbaru

[gahn-bah-roo]

💬 Usage Tip: [頑張る] means “to try hard / do one’s best.” In interviews, it can sound a bit vague unless you add specifics (what you’ll do).

🇯🇵 In Japan: [頑張ります] is a beloved Japanese phrase, but recruiters may prefer concrete plans over spirit alone—pair it with an action for best impact.

Phrase Breakdown

頑張る

ganbaru

[gahn-bah-roo]

to do one's best; to work hard; to persevere

Common encouragement. In interviews, better to be specific than just 頑張ります (e.g., 目標を達成します).

Example

弱みを改善できるように頑張る。

I’ll do my best to improve my weaknesses.

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