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愚公移山 (yú gōng yí shān) — (idiom) the Foolish Old Man moves mountains (from a fable); (figurative) perseverance can overcome any obstacle; where there's a will, there's a way

Definition

A chengyu from a famous fable: an old man's stubborn persistence moves mountains. Used to praise determination in the face of seemingly impossible tasks.

idiom
the Foolish Old Man moves mountains (from a fable)
phrase
(figurative) perseverance can overcome any obstaclewhere there's a willthere's a way

Examples

  • 愚公移山，。
    Xué xí yú gōng yí shān de jīng shén, jiù néng kè fú yí qiè kùn nan.
    Learn the spirit of Yugong moving mountains, and you can overcome all difficulties.
  • 愚公移山，。
    Zhǐ yào yǒu yú gōng yí shān de yì lì, méi yǒu zuò bù chéng de shì.
    As long as you have the perseverance of Yugong moving mountains, there's nothing you can't accomplish.
  • ，愚公移山，。
    Zhè ge gù shi gào sù wǒ men, yú gōng yí shān bú shì shén huà, ér shì jiān chí de lì liàng.
    This story tells us that Yugong moving mountains is not a myth, but the power of persistence.

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xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
禺
禺yú愚yú
Same sound today

愚 pairs 心 (heart) with 禺 for the sound; the heart part relates to the sense of foolishness.

Open 愚 →

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

One theory sees 公 as a picture of a wide-mouthed, round-bottomed jar.

Open 公 →

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
禾禾hé
Sound part声符shēngfú
多
多duō移
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

移 pairs 禾, a grain plant, with 多, which gives the sound.

Open 移 →

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

山 shows three mountain peaks side by side.

Open 山 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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