硬骨头 (yìng gǔ tou) — (idiom) a tough, unyielding person; a difficult problem or task

Definition

An idiom meaning 'a tough nut to crack' — refers to a stubbornly unyielding person or a hard, thorny problem (like a difficult project) that won't give in easily.

idiom
a toughunyielding persona difficult problem or task

Examples

  • 硬骨头，。
    Tā zhēn shì gè yìng gǔ tou, cóng bú xiàng kùn nan dī tóu.
    He's really a tough guy; he never bows to difficulties.
  • 硬骨头，。
    Zhè ge xiàng mù shì gè yìng gǔ tou, xū yào dà jiā yì qǐ nǔ lì.
    This project is a tough nut; it requires everyone's effort.
  • 硬骨头，。
    Miàn duì zhè yàng de yìng gǔ tou, tā méi yǒu tuì suō.
    Facing such a tough opponent, he didn't back down.

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
骨头bone
骨gǔbone头tóu
后缀Suffix

硬 means hard and 骨头 means bone; a hard bone pictures an unyielding person.

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 →

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
肉肉ròu
Sound part声符shēngfú
冎
冎guǎ骨gǔ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The older form 冎 drew a bone; 肉, flesh, was added to make 骨.

Open 骨 →

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 頭; 头 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yèhead
Sound part声符shēngfú
豆
豆dòu頭tóu
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 頭 shows 頁, meaning head, beside 豆 as a sound component; the simplified 头 is a later shorthand.

Open 头 →

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