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What does No pain no gain in English mean? The usage of the idiom No pain no gain in English
Idioms are widely used in English communication. In today's article, PREP introduces the idiom No pain no gain. So, what does No pain no gain in English mean? Are there any other synonymous idioms with No pain no gain in English? Let's explore with PREP below!

I. What does No pain no gain in English mean?
What does No pain no gain in English mean? No pain no gain is pronounced as /nəʊ peɪn nəʊ ɡeɪn/ and is an idiom in English. The figurative meaning of the idiom No pain no gain in English: it is necessary to suffer or work hard in order to succeed or make progress
To help you understand how to use the idiom No pain no gain in English, PREP has compiled some illustrative examples below for you:
- A: I couldn't take any more steps. This road is too long and my legs are hurting.
B: No pain, no gain. Come on, boy! Run one more lap.
- A: It must be so hard to exercise for long. – Yeah, but I want to look good, and you know, no pain, no gain.

II. Idioms synonymous with No pain no gain in English
Let's pocket some idioms synonymous with No pain no gain in English with PREP right below!
- No gain without pain.
- Without pains, no gains.
- No effort no result.
- Suffering is needed to succeed.
- Fortune favors the brave.
- No guts, no glory.
- Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
- Courage leads to great achievements.
- Courageous action is often rewarded.
- Do something dangerous.
- Flirt with dangerous ground.
- Fortune favors the daring.
- Fortune helps the brave.
- Luck favors the adventurous.
- No bees no honey, no work no money.

III. Differentiating No pain no gain and Work hard
Let PREP differentiate the differences between No pain no gain and Work hard right below!
No pain no gain |
Work hard |
|
How to use |
No pain no gain implies that in order to achieve success or progress, one must be willing to endure difficulties or hardships. These difficulties and hardships include many stages and various obstacles that need to be overcome. |
Work hard refers to the effort put into work to achieve a goal, which may also involve difficulties or hardships for success but is not the main factor leading to success. |
Example |
I know studying for this exam is going to be tough, but no pain no gain, right? |
I'm going to work hard to get an A on this exam. |

IV. Exercise on No pain no gain in English
To have a better understanding of the meaning and usage of the idiom No pain no gain in English, let's complete the exercise below with PREP!
Exercise: Determine whether the following sentences use No pain no gain or Work hard
Sentences |
No pain no gain |
Work hard |
Anna knew that to achieve success in her fitness journey, she had to follow the mantra "_______." |
||
Learning a new language can be challenging, but as they say, "_______." |
||
To excel in any field, one must be willing to _______ and continuously improve their skills. |
||
The athlete pushed himself to the limit during training, believing in the philosophy of "_______." |
||
Building a successful business requires dedication and _______. |
||
The team's coach emphasized the importance of _______ in practice to achieve success on the field. |
||
Success in academics comes to those who consistently _______ and stay focused on their goals. |
||
The entrepreneur knew that to achieve his business goals, he needed to _______ and persevere through challenges. |
||
Maria attributed her success to a simple motto: _______, stay humble. |
||
The artist embraced the challenges of creating a masterpiece, understanding the principle of "_______” |
Answer:
Sentences |
No pain no gain |
Work hard |
Anna knew that to achieve success in her fitness journey, she had to follow the mantra "_______." |
✅ |
|
Learning a new language can be challenging, but as they say, "_______." |
✅ |
|
To excel in any field, one must be willing to _______ and continuously improve their skills. |
✅ |
|
The athlete pushed himself to the limit during training, believing in the philosophy of "_______." |
✅ |
|
Building a successful business requires dedication and _______. |
✅ |
|
The team's coach emphasized the importance of _______ in practice to achieve success on the field. |
✅ |
|
Success in academics comes to those who consistently _______ and stay focused on their goals. |
✅ |
|
The entrepreneur knew that to achieve his business goals, he needed to _______ and persevere through challenges. |
✅ |
|
Maria attributed her success to a simple motto: _______, stay humble. |
✅ |
|
The artist embraced the challenges of creating a masterpiece, understanding the principle of "_______” |
✅ |
V. Fast Track to IELTS Success
PREP hopes that through this article, you can understand what No pain no gain in English means, provided you with a list of synonymous idioms of No pain no gain in English, and taught you how to differentiate No pain no gain and Work hard. If you need quick and effective results, PREP’s intensive IELTS course will help you achieve success faster.
- IELTS online: Master IELTS With Us!

Hi I'm Chloe, and I am currently serving as an Product Content Administrator at Prep Education. With over five years of experience in independent online IELTS study and exam preparation, I am confident in my ability to support learners in achieving their highest possible scores.
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