奋发图强 (fèn fā tú qiáng) — to strive vigorously for strength and prosperity

Definition

A formal chengyu meaning 'to work hard and strive to become strong or successful.' Usually describes a person, group, or nation's determined effort to improve themselves.

idiom
to strive vigorously for strength and prosperity

Examples

  • 奋发图强，。
    Quán guó rén mín fèn fā tú qiáng, gòng tóng jiàn shè měi hǎo jiā yuán.
    The whole nation strives vigorously to build a beautiful homeland together.
  • 奋发图强，。
    Tā cóng xiǎo lì zhì fèn fā tú qiáng, zhōng yú chéng wéi le yì míng kē xué jiā.
    He resolved from a young age to work hard and become strong, and finally became a scientist.
  • ，奋发图强，。
    Miàn duì kùn nan, wǒ men yào fèn fā tú qiáng, bù néng tuì suō.
    Facing difficulties, we must strive vigorously and not back down.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

奋发rouse oneself
奋fènexert发fāarouse
联合Side by side
图强seek strength
图túseek强qiángstrength
动宾Verb + object

With 奋 and 发 rousing effort, and 图 seeking 强 strength.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 奮; 奋 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 奮 pairs 奞, a bird, with 田, a field, to show a bird spreading its wings to fly; the simplified 奋 is a later abbreviation.

Open 奋 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 發; 发 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 发 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (爆发, 出发) it is 發; in others (理发, 头发) it is 髮.

The form 發, which 发 stands for in many words, was originally drawn as a bow firing an arrow.

Open 发 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 圖; 图 is its simplified writing.

  • 囗囗wéiwalled city
  • 啚啚bǐ

The traditional form 圖 pairs 囗, a walled city, with 啚, an early form meaning remote areas or territory. The simplified 图 is a later abbreviation.

Open 图 →

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 強; 强 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 強 pairs an insect component with a sound component; this explains 強, not the simplified 强.

Open 强 →

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