The Attempt, Not the Result
ようとする describes an effort in progress — whether it succeeded is left open.
- ドアを開けようとしたが、鍵がかかっていた。(I tried to open the door, but it was locked.)
Against てみる
The pair worth keeping apart:
| Pattern | Sense |
|---|---|
| てみる | do it and see what happens — the action occurs |
| ようとする | attempt it, possibly without succeeding |
食べてみた means you ate it. 食べようとした means you went to eat it — and may not have.
The "About To" Sense
With a past main clause it marks the moment just before something:
- 出かけようとした時に電話が鳴った。(The phone rang just as I was about to leave.)
ようとしない — Refusing
The negative describes someone who won't do something, and it carries criticism:
- 話を聞こうとしない。(He won't even listen.)
Note it is not "isn't trying" — it is a pointed "makes no attempt to".
Third-Person Restriction
For the plain present, ようとする describes others more naturally than yourself. About your own current attempt, Japanese prefers ようとしている.