Good effort
Informal Depends on context
What it really means
Praise for trying hard, which often quietly admits the result was not a success. In sport or class it can be genuine encouragement, so read the situation.
Chinese explanation
夸你努力了，但常常暗含结果并不成功。在运动场或课堂上也可能是真心鼓励，要看场合判断。
Example conversation
A: I tried to bake a Victoria sponge. It sank in the middle.
B: Good effort, though! It still tastes nice.
A：我试着烤了个维多利亚海绵蛋糕，中间塌了。
B：不过精神可嘉！味道还是不错的。
All Politeness Decoder
Reviewed by the UK Decoded editorial team
· Last checked 24 July 2026 · Report a mistake