每天成语
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坚持不懈

*The explanations on this page are generated by AI. Please note that they may contain inaccurate information.

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: jiān chí bù xiè
  • English Translation: To persist unswervingly (unremitting perseverance)
  • Idiom Composition: 「坚」（Firm, resolute, or solid.）＋「持」（To hold, maintain, or persist.）＋「不」（Not (negation).）＋「懈」（To slack off, become idle, or relax one's efforts.）
  • Meaning: To persevere and never give up; to keep going without slacking off, regardless of difficulties, fatigue, or obstacles. It is a highly positive term used to describe a steadfast commitment to a goal.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「坚持不懈」 contains the following nuances:

  • Sustainability: Unlike a temporary burst of energy, this idiom emphasizes maintaining a consistent action or attitude over a long duration.
  • Mental Fortitude: By specifying 'not slacking' (不懈), the idiom implies a strong willpower that resists the temptations of laziness, fatigue, or the urge to quit.

3. Usage

「坚持不懈」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

  • The Secret to Success: Most frequently used in educational or encouraging contexts to explain that continuous effort is essential for achieving success.
    • Example:「要想学好外语，没有捷径，只有坚持不懈地练习。」
      （There is no shortcut to mastering a foreign language; you only need to practice persistently.)
  • Praising Individuals: Used to commend someone who has achieved a breakthrough or maintained their efforts over a long period despite challenges.
    • Example:「正是因为他多年的坚持不懈，这项研究才取得了突破。」
      （It was precisely because of his years of unremitting effort that this research achieved a breakthrough.)
  • Slogans and Resolutions: Commonly used in personal goal-setting or organizational slogans to declare a commitment to never giving up.
    • Example:「无论遇到什么困难，我们都要坚持不懈，直到最后胜利。」
      （No matter what difficulties we encounter, we must persevere until the final victory.)

Additional Examples:

  1. 减肥需要坚持不懈的毅力，不能三天打鱼两天晒网。
    （Losing weight requires persistent willpower; you can't just work at it in fits and starts.）
  2. 虽然失败了很多次，但他依然坚持不懈地进行实验。
    （Despite many failures, he continues to conduct experiments with unflagging perseverance.）
  3. 这种坚持不懈的精神值得我们每个人学习。
    （This spirit of tireless effort is something every one of us should learn from.）
  4. 只要坚持不懈，铁杵也能磨成针。
    （As long as you persevere, even an iron pestle can be ground into a needle.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • Historical Origin: While found in historical records like the Draft History of Qing (清史稿), it has evolved into one of the most common idioms in modern Chinese.
  • Cultural Values: In Chinese society, diligence and endurance are often held in higher regard than innate talent. This idiom is the primary way to praise a 'hard worker' who overcomes obstacles through sheer grit.
  • Related Proverbs: It is often paired with the famous proverb 只要功夫深，铁杵磨成针 (zhǐ yào gōng fu shēn, tiě chǔ mó chéng zhēn), which literally means 'with enough hard work, an iron pestle can be ground into a needle,' illustrating that no task is impossible with persistence.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

6. Summary

坚持不懈 (jiān chí bù xiè) is a cornerstone idiom in Chinese culture that emphasizes the value of persistence. It describes an attitude of seeing a task through to the end without losing focus or determination. Whether in academics, sports, or career development, it conveys the message that 'persistence is power' and is frequently used in both formal writing and daily conversation.

Featured in the Chuken exam (Japan's Chinese test)Level 1Pre-Level 1

Idiom Essay

jiān chí bù xiè
坚持不懈
Perseverance
zài在zhè ge这个shì jiè世界shàng上，kāi shǐ开始zuò做yī jiàn一件shì事，tōng cháng通常hěn很róng yì容易。

In this world, starting something is usually easy.

bù guǎn不管shì是jué dìng决定yào要qù去pǎo bù跑步，hái shì还是kāi shǐ开始xué xí学习yī zhǒng一种xīn新de的yǔ yán语言，dì yī tiān第一天zǒng shì总是chōng mǎn充满le了rè qíng热情。

Whether it's deciding to go for a run or starting to learn a new language, the first day is always full of enthusiasm.

kě shì可是，zuì最nán难de的bù fèn部分，wǎng wǎng往往fā shēng发生zài在zhōng jiān中间。

However, the hardest part often happens in the middle.

dāng当rè qíng热情màn màn慢慢tuì qù退去，dāng当kùn nán困难kāi shǐ开始chū xiàn出现，huò zhě或者dāng当nǐ你jué de觉得hěn很lèi累、hěn很wú liáo无聊de的shí hòu时候，xīn lǐ心里zǒng总huì会yǒu有yí gè一个shēng yīn声音qiāo qiāo悄悄dì地shuō说：“suàn le算了ba吧，xiū xī休息yī xià一下yě也méi guān xì没关系。”，“yě xǔ也许wǒ我bù不shì hé适合zuò做zhè ge这个。”

When the enthusiasm slowly fades, when difficulties begin to appear, or when you feel tired and bored, there is always a voice inside quietly saying: "Forget it, it's okay to take a break." "Maybe I'm not cut out for this."

zhè ge这个shí hòu时候，rú guǒ如果nǐ你méi yǒu没有tīng cóng听从nà ge那个shēng yīn声音，ér shì而是yǎo jǐn yá guān咬紧牙关jì xù继续zuò做xià qù下去，zhōng wén中文lǐ里yǒu有yí gè一个fēi cháng非常yǒu lì有力de的chéng yǔ成语，jiù shì就是yòng lái用来xíng róng形容zhè zhǒng这种zhuàng tài状态de的——jiào叫“jiān chí bù xiè坚持不懈”。

At this moment, if you don't listen to that voice but grit your teeth and keep going, there is a very powerful Chinese idiom that describes this state — called "坚持不懈" (perseverance).

zhè ge这个cí词de的zhòng diǎn重点，qí shí其实bù不zài在“jiān chí坚持”，ér而zài在hòu miàn后面de的“bù xiè不懈”。

The key of this phrase is not really on "坚持" (persist), but on the latter part "不懈" (unremitting).

“xiè懈”，yì si意思shì是sōng xiè松懈，jiù就xiàng像yī gēn一根yuán běn原本lā拉dé得hěn很jǐn紧de的shéng zi绳子，tū rán突然sōng kāi松开le了；huò zhě或者shì是yí gè一个rén人yīn wèi因为lèi累le了，jīng shén精神biàn dé变得lǎn sǎn懒散le了。

"懈" means slackening, like a rope that was once pulled tight suddenly loosening; or a person becoming lazy and mentally slack because of tiredness.

suǒ yǐ所以，“jiān chí bù xiè坚持不懈”bù jǐn jǐn不仅仅shì是shuō说zhè这yì fēn zhōng一分钟nǐ你zài在zuò做，xià下yì fēn zhōng一分钟nǐ你hái还zài在zuò做。

So, "坚持不懈" doesn't just mean you are doing something this minute and still doing it the next minute.

tā它gèng更qiáng diào强调de的shì是yī zhǒng一种xīn lǐ心理zhuàng tài状态：nǎ pà哪怕guò chéng过程hěn很zhǎng长，nǎ pà哪怕yù dào遇到le了zǔ lì阻力，xīn lǐ心里de的nà那gǔ股jìn tóu劲头，shǐ zhōng始终méi yǒu没有sōng松xià lái下来。

It emphasizes a mental state: even if the process is long, even if you encounter resistance, the spirit inside never slackens.

wǒ men我们yòng用zhè ge这个cí词，tōng cháng通常shì是wèi le为了zàn měi赞美yī zhǒng一种duì kàng对抗kùn nán困难de的yì zhì lì意志力。

We usually use this phrase to praise a willpower that fights against difficulties.

bǐ rú比如，yī wèi一位kē xué jiā科学家zuò做le了jǐ bǎi cì几百次shí yàn实验dōu都shī bài失败le了，dàn但tā他méi yǒu没有tíng xià lái停下来，yī rán依然zài在xún zhǎo寻找dá àn答案；huò zhě或者yí gè一个xiǎng yào想要gǎi biàn改变zì jǐ自己de的rén人，bù guǎn不管měi tiān每天gōng zuò工作duō多máng忙，dōu都yí dìng yào一定要liú留chū出shí jiān时间qù去duàn liàn锻炼、qù去dú shū读书。

For example, a scientist who has failed hundreds of experiments but doesn't stop and keeps searching for answers; or a person who wants to change themselves, no matter how busy they are every day, always makes time to exercise and read.

zhè zhǒng这种xíng wéi行为，bú shì不是yīn wèi因为xí guàn习惯，yě也bú shì不是yīn wèi因为qīng sōng轻松，ér shì而是yīn wèi因为tā men他们zhǔ dòng主动xuǎn zé选择le了“bù sōng xiè不松懈”。

This behavior is not because of habit or ease, but because they actively choose "not to slacken."

hěn很duō多rén人jué de觉得，“jiān chí坚持”shì是yī jiàn一件hěn很kǔ苦de的shì qíng事情。

Many people think "persistence" is a very hard thing.

dàn但“jiān chí bù xiè坚持不懈”gào sù告诉wǒ men我们，zhè这qí shí其实shì是yī zhǒng一种duì对zì jǐ自己chéng nuò承诺de的duì xiàn兑现。

But "坚持不懈" tells us that it is actually a fulfillment of a promise to oneself.

tā它bìng并bù不yāo qiú要求nǐ你bì xū必须pǎo跑dé得hěn很kuài快，yě也bù不yāo qiú要求nǐ你bì xū必须lì kè立刻kàn dào看到jié guǒ结果。

It doesn't require you to run fast, nor to see results immediately.

tā它zhǐ shì只是yāo qiú要求nǐ你，zài在xiǎng yào想要fàng qì放弃de的nà ge那个shùn jiān瞬间，gào sù告诉zì jǐ自己：bú yào不要sōng qì松气，zài再wǎng qián往前zǒu走yī bù一步。

It only asks you, at the moment you want to give up, to tell yourself: don't slack off, take one more step forward.

xià cì下次，dāng当nǐ你jué de觉得hěn很lèi累，xiǎng yào想要tíng xià lái停下来de的shí hòu时候，bù fáng不妨xiǎng想yī xiǎng一想zhè ge这个cí词。

Next time, when you feel tired and want to stop, try to think of this phrase.

zhēn zhèng真正de的lì liàng力量，wǎng wǎng往往jiù就cáng藏zài在nà那yì diǎn diǎn一点点“bù xiè不懈”de的nǔ lì努力lǐ里。

True strength is often hidden in that little bit of "unremitting" effort.

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