志在必得 (zhì zài bì dé) — determined to succeed; resolved to achieve what one sets out to get

Definition

Idiom meaning 'determined to win at all costs'. Built on 必得 ('must obtain'), so it stresses resolve to achieve a specific goal — stronger than simply saying you want something.

idiom
determined to succeedresolved to achieve what one sets out to get

Examples

  • 志在必得，。
    Zhè cì bǐ sài tā zhì zài bì dé, xùn liàn fēi cháng kè kǔ.
    He was determined to win this competition and trained very hard.
  • 志在必得，。
    Gōng sī duì xīn xiàng mù zhì zài bì dé, tóu rù le dà liàng zī jīn hé rén lì.
    The company was determined to succeed in the new project, investing a large amount of capital and manpower.
  • 志在必得，。
    Kǎo shēng men zhì zài bì dé, dōu xiǎng kǎo shàng nà suǒ dǐng jiān dà xué.
    The test-takers were all determined to get in, all wanting to be admitted to that top-tier university.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
之
之zhī志zhì
Same sound today

志 has 心, the heart, below and a simplified top from 之 for sound.

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

The early form of 在 used 才 for its sound; a second sound part 士 was added later, and that 士 became the 土 seen in 在.

Open 在 →

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

The shape of 必 comes from the handle on the right side of a weapon, with two extra strokes added to its sides.

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

The old form 㝵 showed a hand picking up a cowry, meaning to obtain; later changes turned that picture into 得.

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