各持己见 (gè chí jǐ jiàn) — (idiom) each sticks to their own opinion; unable to reach a consensus

Definition

An idiom meaning each side holds its own view and refuses to budge — implies a deadlock, not just disagreement. Used to describe debates where no consensus is reached.

idiom
each sticks to their own opinionunable to reach a consensus

Examples

  • ，各持己见，。
    Tǎo lùn le bàn tiān, dà jiā hái shì gè chí jǐ jiàn, méi yǒu dá chéng yí zhì.
    After discussing for a long time, everyone still stuck to their own views and didn't reach an agreement.
  • ，各持己见，。
    Zài huì yì shàng, shuāng fāng gè chí jǐ jiàn, shuí yě bù kěn ràng bù.
    At the meeting, both sides stuck to their own opinions, and neither was willing to compromise.
  • 各持己见，。
    Tā men gè chí jǐ jiàn, zhēng lùn le hěn jiǔ yě méi yǒu jié guǒ.
    They each held their own views and argued for a long time without any result.

Origin

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

各 shows a sole of a foot (夂) coming into an entrance (口), for the sense of coming or entering.

Open 各 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
寺
寺sì持chí
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

持 combines 手 (hand), for the idea of holding, with 寺, which gives the sound.

Open 持 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The 己 shape is a picture of a silk rope used to bind objects.

Open 己 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 見; 见 is its simplified writing.

  • 目目mùeye
  • 卩卩jiékneeling person

The traditional form 見 pairs 目 (eye) with 卩 (kneeling person), showing a kneeling figure with a large eye for a head. The simplified 见 is a later shorthand.

Open 见 →

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