頑張れ！What does Ganbatte mean?
What does Ganbatte mean? 頑張る and 頑張って are common words in Japanese. They do not however have a direct translation in English. People usually say this to wish someone luck, encourage them, or even to congratulate on a job well done.
https://japaneseuniverse.com/2024/02/18/pac-man-in-japaneseconcepts-behind-development-to-global-icon/INDEX
To do one’s Best
頑張る often translates as to do your best, or to try your best.
仕事を頑張る
I will do my best at work
I will work hard at work
To Try
Pretend that after someone comes across this article and decides that 頑張る has too many meanings! They then decide to give up on learning Japanese. This would be the perfect opportunity to use 頑張る.
頑張らないと分からないよ
You won’t know if you don’t try
This person then decides to give Japanese some more time. If they are still having trouble you can say the following:
もう少し頑張って
Try a little harder
Hard Working
You can say 頑張る as a way to describe people too. When you want to tell someone they are a hard worker you could say something like the sentence below.
あなたはよく頑張る人ですね
You are someone who works hard
Congratulating or Wishing Luck
頑張って is a way to say good luck. You can also say よく頑張った as a way to congratulate them for doing something well. 頑張る is a useful and versatile word. The next time you have the chance try to use it, and good luck with your Japanese studies!
You can find more hard to translate Japanese words on my blog here. 頑張って！
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