勉强 vs 将就 (miǎnqiǎng vs jiāngjiu): reluctantly vs. making do
勉强 emphasizes forcing oneself to do something or barely meeting a standard, often with reluctance; 将就 emphasizes compromising or making do with a less-than-ideal situation. Use 勉强 when the focus is on internal effort or minimal adequacy, and 将就 when adapting to imperfect conditions.
Both 勉强 (miǎnqiǎng) and 将就 (jiāngjiu) describe dealing with something undesirable, but they differ in focus. 勉强 highlights reluctance or the bare minimum—doing something you don’t want to do or barely meeting a requirement. 将就 focuses on acceptance of an imperfect situation—making do with what’s available. In many contexts they are not interchangeable: 勉强 is about personal effort, while 将就 is about external conditions.
When to use each
Use 勉强 when someone does something unwillingly, or when something is just enough (barely adequate). It can also mean 'to force someone to do something' (e.g., 勉强别人). Only use 勉强 for the feeling of reluctance or minimal sufficiency.
As an adverb (勉强可以), it means 'barely okay'—the result is not great but acceptable.
Use 将就 in situations where you accept something less than ideal because you have no better option. It often implies adjusting your expectation to match reality. It is always a verb and can be followed by 一下 (将就一下).
将就 does not express personal reluctance about the action itself; it focuses on tolerating imperfect circumstances (e.g., a small room, a cheap meal).
At a glance
| 勉强 | 将就 | |
|---|---|---|
| Core meaning | Reluctance / barely adequate | Compromising / making do |
| Part of speech & usage | Mainly adverb (勉强可以) or verb (勉强别人) | Verb only (将就一下, 将就着用) |
| Can it mean 'force someone'? | Yes: 勉强别人 = to force someone | No: cannot mean forcing others |
| Focus | Internal feeling or minimal standard | External circumstance and acceptance |
| Typical context | Doing something you dislike, or just meeting a requirement | Using substandard items or tolerating inconvenience |
Examples
- 勉强他勉强同意了我们的计划。Tā miǎnqiǎng tóngyìle wǒmen de jìhuà.He reluctantly agreed to our plan.强调不情愿地同意，不是‘将就’（将就不用于同意行为）。
- 将就这个房间太小了，但我只能将就住一晚。Zhège fángjiān tài xiǎo le, dàn wǒ zhǐ néng jiāngjiu zhù yī wǎn.This room is too small, but I'll just make do and stay one night.接受不理想的条件，不是勉强（勉强强调心理上的不情愿）。
- 勉强他的英语勉强能听懂。Tā de Yīngyǔ miǎnqiǎng néng tīngdǒng.His English is barely understandable.勉强作为副词，表示勉强达到标准。
- 将就没有合适的工具，我们就将就着用吧。Méiyǒu héshì de gōngjù, wǒmen jiù jiāngjiu zhe yòng ba.We don't have the right tools, so let's just make do with these.将就着用是常见的搭配，强调妥协。
- 勉强别勉强孩子吃太多。Bié miǎnqiǎng háizi chī tài duō.Don't force the child to eat too much.勉强在这里是动词‘强迫’，将就不能这样用。
Common mistakes
- Using 将就 to mean 'barely adequate' (should use 勉强): '他的中文将就能交流' ✗ → 勉强能交流。
- Using 勉强 to mean 'make do' with objects: '这个手机充电器很旧，我只能勉强的用' ✗ → 将就着用。
- Using 将就 for personal reluctance: '我将他就答应了' ✗ → 我勉强答应了。
- Forgetting that 将就 is a verb and cannot be used as an adverb: '将就可以' ✗ → 勉强可以。
FAQ
- What is the core difference between 勉强 and 将就?
- 勉强 is about reluctance or barely meeting a standard (often internal), while 将就 is about compromising or making do with an imperfect situation (external circumstances).
- Can I use 勉强 instead of 将就 when saying 'I'll just make do'?
- Usually no. 'Make do' implies accepting an imperfect situation (将就), not reluctance or minimal adequacy. For example, '将就一下' is natural; '勉强一下' sounds like forcing yourself to do something, not adapting to conditions.
- When should I use 勉强 as a verb vs. adverb?
- As a verb, 勉强 means 'to force/coerce someone' (勉强别人做某事). As an adverb before an adjective or verb (勉强可以, 勉强通过), it means 'barely' or 'reluctantly'.
- Are 勉强 and 将就 ever interchangeable?
- Rarely. In some contexts where both reluctance and compromise overlap (e.g., 'I'll reluctantly accept it'), both might be understood but with different nuances: 勉强 emphasises your attitude, 将就 emphasises the imperfect solution. Native speakers rarely mix them.