坚韧不拔 (jiān rèn bù bá) — unwavering, tenacious, indomitable (of spirit or character)

Definition

Four-character idiom (成语) praising a spirit or character that stays tough and refuses to give up — stronger than 'persistent', closer to 'indomitable'. Typically used to admire people, not minor setbacks.

idiom
unwaveringtenaciousindomitable (of spirit or character)

Examples

  • 坚韧不拔，。
    Tā zài kùn nan miàn qián biǎo xiàn dé jiān rèn bù bá, lìng rén jìng pèi.
    He showed indomitable spirit in the face of difficulties, which is admirable.
  • 坚韧不拔。
    Zhǐ yǒu jiān rèn bù bá de rén cái néng shí xiàn wěi dà de mèng xiǎng.
    Only people with unwavering perseverance can achieve great dreams.
  • 坚韧不拔，。
    Tā yǐ jiān rèn bù bá de jīng shén jiān chí xùn liàn, zhōng yú yíng dé le jīn pái.
    She persisted in training with indomitable spirit and finally won a gold medal.

Origin

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
土土tǔ
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.

Open 坚 →

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 韌; 韧 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
韋韋wéi
Sound part声符shēngfú
刃
刃rèn韌rèn
Same sound today

The traditional form 韌 combines 韋, a meaning part, with 刃, a sound part; the simplified 韧 is a later shorthand.

Open 韧 →

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.

Open 不 →

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
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
犮
犮bá拔bá
Same sound today

In 拔, the left side 扌 is a hand and the right side 犮 gives the sound; the shape pictures a hand pulling.

Open 拔 →

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