硬干 (yìng gàn) — to forge ahead; to do something tenaciously despite obstacles

Definition

硬干 (yìng gàn) is a colloquial verb meaning to push ahead stubbornly, without a solid plan or method — closer to 'bull one's way through' than to careful 干 ('do, work'). It often carries a sense of recklessness or rough effort.

verb
to forge aheadto do something tenaciously despite obstacles

Examples

  • ，硬干。
    Miàn duì kùn nan, tā xuǎn zé le yìng gàn dào dǐ.
    Faced with difficulties, he chose to forge ahead to the end.
  • ，硬干。
    Suī rán fāng àn bù chéng shú, tuán duì hái shì jué dìng yìng gàn.
    Although the plan was not mature, the team still decided to press ahead.
  • ，硬干。
    Tā bù guǎn bié rén zěn me kàn, yìng shì yìng gàn chū le míng táng.
    Regardless of what others thought, he tenaciously worked and achieved something.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

硬yìnghard
干gāndo

硬 gives the firm, tenacious manner, and 干 gives the work, yielding forging ahead.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
石石shí
Sound part声符shēngfú
更
更gèng硬yìng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

硬 is built from 石, meaning stone, to show hardness or stiffness, and 更, which gives the sound.

Open 硬 →

The simplified 干 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (饼干, 干杯) it is 乾; in others (干, 干活儿) (干扰) it is 幹 or 干.

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 乾; 干 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
乙乙yǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
倝
倝gàn乾gān
Same sound today
Open 干 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.