坚持不懈 (jiān chí bù xiè) — to persist unremittingly; to persevere; unremit… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

An idiom meaning to keep going without letting up — 'persevere unremittingly.' Use for long, effortful effort (study, research, training), not a single decision.

idiom

to persist unremittinglyto persevereunremitting

Examples

坚持不懈，。
Tā jiān chí bù xiè dì xué xí, zhōng yú qǔ dé le hǎo chéng jì.
He studied unremittingly and finally achieved good results.
坚持不懈，。
Kē xué jiā men jiān chí bù xiè dì jìn xíng yán jiū, zuì zhōng fā xiàn le zhì liáo fāng fǎ.
The scientists conducted unremitting research and ultimately discovered a treatment method.
，坚持不懈。
Zài kùn nan miàn qián, wǒ men yào bǎo chí jiān chí bù xiè de jīng shén.
In the face of difficulties, we must maintain an unremitting spirit.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

坚持persist

坚jiānfirm持chíhold

偏正Modifier + head

不懈not slacken

不bùnot懈xièslacken

偏正Modifier + head

坚持 means persist and 不懈 means not slacken, together giving unremitting.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 堅; 坚 is its simplified writing.

臤土堅

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

臤

臤qiān堅jiān

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 堅 pairs 臤, giving the sound, with 土, earth, giving the sense; the simplified 坚 is a later shorthand.

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

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.

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

The picture in 不 originally showed a flower’s calyx; the “no” sense came later from a related character, not from this picture.

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

忄解懈

Meaning part形符xíngfú

忄Written in full as心xīn

Sound part声符shēngfú

解

解jiě懈xiè

Same sound today

懈 combines 忄, a shortened form of 心 (heart), with 解, which gives the sound.

Appears in

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