精進 is a wide-ranging word that is used in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.

It can mean devotion, diligence, concentration, aggressive, enterprising, vigorous, energetic, purification, pushing, asceticism, assiduity, or virility. 精進 is deep, and these two characters can express ideas that take a full English phrase to describe, such as “concentration of mind,” “to forge ahead vigorously,” or “to dedicate oneself to progress.”

Used in the context of Buddhism, it means “making earnest efforts to cultivate virtue and get rid of evil” or “zeal in one's quest for enlightenment.”

勤勉 can be translated as diligence, industrious, assiduity, assiduous, diligent, or sedulity.

Diligence is working hard and doing your absolute best. You take special care by doing things step by step. Diligence helps you to get things done with excellence and enthusiasm. Diligence leads to success.

See Also:  Hard Work | Tenacity | Commitment | Passion for a Cause

勤 is a single character that means diligence or “sense of duty” in Chinese and Korean (also understood in Japanese but not commonly seen as a stand-alone Kanji).

As a single character on a wall scroll, this will only be seen with this meaning. However, it can also mean industrious, hardworking, frequent, regular, constant, energy, zeal, fortitude, or virility.

In Buddhism, this can represent vīrya (viriya), the idea of energy, diligence, enthusiasm, or effort. It can be defined as an attitude of gladly engaging in wholesome activities, and it functions to cause one to accomplish wholesome or virtuous actions. Some Buddhists may even define this as “manliness” (a definition from a hundred years ago, before equality).

If you or someone you know is a hard worker (or needs a reminder to be diligent), then this is the wall scroll to have in your/their office.

See Also:  Tenacity | Undaunted

鑿壁偷光 is a Chinese proverb that means “Bore a hole in the wall to make use of the neighbor's light to study.”

This is a nice gift for a very studious person.

Kuang Heng was born during the Western Han period. He has been very fond of reading ever since he was young. However, he could not attend school since his family was poor, and he had to borrow books from people to learn.

To borrow these books, he normally did chores for people who had them. When he became older, he had to work in the field from sunrise to sunset since his family's financial situation did not improve. Thus, he tried to study at night, but he had no lamp.

One day, he noticed the light from the neighbor's house coming through a crack in the wall. This made him very happy, so he dug a larger hole from the crack and read in the light that shone through. This diligent study eventually made him an accomplished person.

天道酬勤 can be interpreted in a few different ways:
God blesses those who work hard.
It is the way of Heaven to smile on the diligent.
God will reward those that are worthy.
Heaven blesses those who are diligent.

Whichever translation you like, a scroll like this on your wall may serve as a reminder to work hard because your diligence will pay off both in this life and the next.


Note: This can be pronounced in Korean, but it's not a commonly used term.

勤儉起家 is a Chinese proverb that suggests you begin to rise up by thrift and hard work.

Diligent work and spending money wisely will almost always pay off.