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각고면려 刻苦勉勵
It means enduring immense hardship and pushing oneself to the limit to achieve a goal. It represents an attitude of relentless diligence and self-encouragement despite facing severe difficulties.
각고면려 (刻苦勉勵) means "It means enduring immense hardship and pushing oneself to the limit to achieve a goal. It represents an attitude of relentless diligence and self-encouragement despite facing severe difficulties.". 'Gakgo' (刻苦) means 'pain as if carving bone,' and 'Myeollyeo' (勉勵) means 'striving and making an eff
1 Meaning
각고면려 (刻苦勉勵) means “It means enduring immense hardship and pushing oneself to the limit to achieve a goal. It represents an attitude of relentless diligence and self-encouragement despite facing severe difficulties.”.
Gakgomyeollyeo (刻苦勉勵) is a classic idiom meaning to strive diligently while enduring immense pain. It signifies moving toward a goal by overcoming bone-crushing hardships without ever giving up, regardless of the trials faced.
The Western Equivalent
No exact match — here's why
No direct English proverb. The phrase means arduous, painstaking diligence — grinding away at a task with total effort. "Burn the midnight oil" and "no pain, no gain" each capture part of it, but neither matches the sustained, self-disciplined toil implied.
2 Examples
An aspiring actor who spends years in obscurity, constantly failing auditions.
Instead of giving up, they practice acting until dawn every day while working part-time jobs to make ends meet, persistently pursuing their dream.
A startup founder facing a crisis due to financial difficulties and continuous development failures.
They analyze the causes of failure day and night, pitch to investors despite dozens of rejections, and continuously improve their product.
An athlete who suffers a severe injury that threatens to end their career.
They silently endure painful rehabilitation training, putting in several times more effort than others, and miraculously return to the sport.
Which situation fits this idiom?
Pick the everyday scene where “각고면려” fits best.
3 Origin
4 Key Lessons
True achievement stems from agonizing effort and the endurance of pain and trials.
Facing fears and failures head-on, rather than avoiding them, builds inner strength.
The attitude of constantly pushing and encouraging oneself ultimately leads to success.
5 English Expression
English Vocabulary
survive
살아남다, 생존하다
"He managed to survive the harsh winter."
carve
새기다, 조각하다
"She carved her initials into the tree trunk."
bold
대담한, 용감한
"It was a bold decision to start his own business."
fade
사라지다, 희미해지다
"The music began to fade away."
6 Learn with Music
Related Idioms
각고면려
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