頑張り

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: Written 頑張り and read がんばり, it denotes sustained effort and persistence despite difficulty.
• Basic usage: It describes hard work recognized by others and one final exertion that moves a heavy load uphill.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Effort rather than result
  • The word values perseverance itself even when the final outcome is not specified.