自力更生

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: zì lì gēng shēng
• English Translation: Self-reliance (regeneration through one's own efforts)
• Idiom Composition: 「自」（Self; oneself）＋「力」（Strength; power; effort）＋「更」（To change; to renew; to transform）＋「生」（Life; existence; to grow）
• Meaning: To overcome difficulties and achieve development or improvement through one's own efforts without relying on external assistance. It emphasizes a proactive spirit of 'rebirth' or 'renewal' from a difficult situation.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「自力更生」 contains the following nuances:

• The Nuance of 更生 (gēng shēng): In Chinese, 更生 (gēng shēng) carries a strong sense of 'rebirth' or 'revival.' It implies not just standing on one's own feet, but transforming a difficult or stagnant situation into a flourishing new life.
• Rejecting Dependency: The idiom emphasizes an active rejection of passive waiting or dependency. It advocates for taking control of one's destiny through proactive labor and innovation.

3. Usage

「自力更生」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• National or Organizational Slogans: Frequently used as a formal slogan when a country or organization faces economic sanctions or hardships and must rely on domestic production and innovation rather than imports or aid.
  • Example:「面对技术封锁，我们要坚持自力更生，研发核心技术。」
    （Facing the technology blockade, we must persist in self-reliance and develop our own core technologies.）
• Personal Achievement: Used to praise individuals who succeed without relying on family inheritance or connections, or those who rebuild their lives after a major setback.
  • Example:「他虽然家境贫寒，但靠着自力更生，现在已经是一家公司的老板了。」
    （Although he came from a poor family, he carved out his own path and is now the CEO of a company.）

Additional Examples:

1. 在这个偏远的山区，村民们自力更生，修通了连接外界的公路。
   （In this remote mountainous area, the villagers relied on their own efforts to build a road connecting them to the outside world.）
2. 年轻人应该学会自力更生，不要总是依赖父母。
   （Young people should learn to be self-reliant and not always depend on their parents.）
3. 企业要想长远发展，不能只靠政府补贴，必须走自力更生的道路。
   （If a company wants long-term development, it cannot just rely on government subsidies; it must take the path of self-reliance.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• Historical Context: This term became famous in the 1930s and 40s during the Anti-Japanese War and the early years of the People's Republic of China. Mao Zedong (毛泽东) promoted it as a core tenet of the 'Yan'an Spirit' (延安精神), encouraging the nation to survive and produce its own goods when external aid was cut off.
• Modern Usage: Today, it is frequently used in the context of 'innovation' and 'entrepreneurship.' It is almost always seen in the fixed phrase 自力更生，艰苦奋斗 (zì lì gēng shēng, jiān kǔ fèn dòu), which translates to 'self-reliance and hard struggle.'

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 自食其力 (zì shí qí lì): To support oneself by one's own labor; usually refers to an individual's livelihood rather than national strategy.
  • 独立自主 (dú lì zì zhǔ): To be independent and maintain initiative; often used in political or diplomatic contexts.link
  • 自强不息 (zì qiáng bù xī): To constantly strive to improve oneself.link
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 寄人篱下 (jì rén lí xià): To live under someone else's roof; to be dependent and subservient to others.
  • 坐享其成 (zuò xiǎng qí chéng): To sit back and enjoy the fruits of others' labor without doing any work oneself.
  • 听天由命 (tīng tiān yóu mìng): To resign oneself to fate.link
  • 任人宰割 (rèn rén zǎi gē): To be at the mercy of others.link

6. Summary

自力更生 (zì lì gēng shēng) is a powerful idiom describing the act of carving out one's own path without external aid. While historically significant as a political slogan for national independence, it is now widely used to praise personal independence, entrepreneurial spirit, and technological self-sufficiency. It is often paired with 艰苦奋斗 (jiān kǔ fèn dòu), meaning 'to struggle hard through difficulties.'