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This question [came up on
chat](http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/6806154#6806154).

In this phrase:

> TOEIC、頑張ってください

Can the comma be replaced by を? If not, is there a better particle?

頑張る is listed as a 自動詞 in both of my dictionaries (岩波 and 集英社). There are
plenty of [Google results for
を頑張る](https://www.google.com/search?q=%22%E3%82%92%E9%A0%91%E5%BC%B5%E3%82%8B%22)
though, including in phrases like
[TOEICを頑張る](https://www.google.com/search?q=%22TOEIC%E3%82%92%E9%A0%91%E5%BC%B5%E3%82%8B%22).
I've also found some [related
discussion](http://d.hatena.ne.jp/rayonvert2010/20110503/1304396388), though
it didn't answer the question.

Possibly related: [Are there verbs that are neither intransitive nor
transitive?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/2636/are-there-
verbs-that-are-neither-intransitive-nor-transitive/2645#2645)
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question
particle-を transitivity zero-particle
Is を頑張る standard Japanese?
I think the following are all valid

  * 剣道で頑張って  
Do your best (while) at Kendo (practice)

  * 剣道は頑張って  
Do your best for Kendo (generally)

  * 剣道を頑張って  
Do your best in Kendo

The last two are equivalent up to the difference in nuance between は and を. Of
course all could be used in the same situation. The difference in usage is
probably biggest between the first and the last two. The first implies you
should give your best (only) when you are doing Kendo. The last two imply you
should give your best for Kendo, even when you are currently not practising,
e.g. you should attend practice more regularly.

As far as I can see

  * 剣道、頑張ってください

could be short for any of them, although I would probably understand it as an
omission of は.
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I believe that 頑張る by itself is a 自動詞 but in TOEICを頑張る it becomes 他動詞。

A bit confusing, but many verbs can be used in both constructions, just like
in English.

The distinction between 自動詞 and 他動詞 only really matters when there's an
alternating pair like 開ける and 開く。
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