顽固 (wán gù) — stubborn; obstinate | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Stubborn in a negative, unchangeable way — used for people AND their ideas, habits, or illnesses. Stronger and harsher than 固执; unlike 倔强 it implies no redeeming resilience.

adjective

stubbornobstinate

Examples

顽固，。
Tā zhè ge rén tài wán gù le, tīng bú jìn bié rén de yì jiàn.
He's too stubborn; he won't listen to other people's opinions.
顽固。
Zhè xiē wán gù de guān niàn xū yào gǎi biàn.
These stubborn ideas need to change.
顽固，。
Zhè zhǒng bìng hěn wán gù, bù róng yì zhì hǎo.
This disease is stubborn and not easy to cure.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

顽wánstubborn

顽 “stubborn” and 固 “firm” combine to mean obstinate and hard to change.

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 頑; 顽 is its simplified writing.

元頁頑

Meaning part形符xíngfú

頁頁yèhead

Sound part声符shēngfú

元

元yuán頑wán

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 頑, 元 gave the sound and 頁 showed 'head'; the sense was 'a stubborn head'.

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

囗古固

Meaning part形符xíngfú

囗囗wéi

Sound part声符shēngfú

古

古gǔ固gù

Same sound today

固 combines 囗, which relates to the meaning, with 古, which gives the sound.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Personality & Traits

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