金石为开 (jīn shí wéi kāi) — (chengyu) extreme sincerity can overcome any obstacle; perseverance moves even the hardest heart

Definition

A chengyu meaning that genuine sincerity can move even the hardest heart — metal and stone will crack open. Used to encourage persistence when trying to persuade someone.

idiom
(chengyu) extreme sincerity can overcome any obstacleperseverance moves even the hardest heart

Examples

  • ，金石为开，。
    Zhǐ yào wǒ men yǒu chéng yì, jīn shí wéi kāi, yí dìng néng dǎ dòng tā.
    As long as we are sincere, even metal and stone can crack — we will surely move him.
  • ，金石为开，。
    Jīng chéng suǒ zhì, jīn shí wéi kāi, tā zuì zhōng bèi wǒ men de jiān chí gǎn dòng le.
    Where sincerity reaches, metal and stone crack open — he was finally moved by our persistence.
  • ，金石为开，。
    Bié fàng qì, jīn shí wéi kāi, nǐ de zhēn xīn zǒng yǒu yì tiān huì bèi lǐ jiě.
    Don't give up — sincerity can crack metal and stone; your true feelings will be understood one day.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
主谓zhǔwèiSubject + predicate

A small sentence frozen into a word: something, and what it does or is.

金石metal and stone
金jīnmetal石shístone
联合Side by side
为开be open
为wèibe开kāiopen
补充Verb + complement

金石 stands for metal and stone, while 为开 suggests they become open, conveying that sincerity can split even the hardest things.

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.

金 was drawn with marks for two pieces of metal, along with a part that gave its sound; it first meant copper, then metals and gold.

Open 金 →

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

The shape of 石 shows a stone under a cliff-like overhang, or a cave set into a cliff side.

Open 石 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 為; 为 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 為 showed a hand holding an elephant; the simplified 为 is a later shorthand.

Open 为 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 開; 开 is its simplified writing.

  • 門門méndoor
  • 一一yīlatch and/or wooden pole that shuts a door
  • 廾廾gǒnga pair of hands

The traditional form 開 shows 廾, a pair of hands, and 一, a latch or pole, inside 門, a door: hands opening a latched door. The simplified 开 is a shorthand form, so its parts are not the original pieces.

Open 开 →

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