卧薪尝胆

Pronunciation: wò xīn cháng dǎn
Literal meaning: Sleep on firewood, taste gall

Origin & Usage

This perseverance idiom combines two historical stories of determined revenge. It references King Goujian of Yue who slept on brushwood (卧薪) to remember his humiliation and Wu Zixu who tasted bile (尝胆) to never forget his family's execution. After being defeated and enslaved by King Fuchai of Wu, Goujian endured humiliation for years while secretly rebuilding his state's strength. The phrase gained significant cultural resonance during the Song Dynasty as China faced foreign invasions. Each character emphasizes the physical discomfort willingly endured as motivation. Modern usage describes extraordinary determination through self-imposed hardship, particularly after significant setbacks, teaching that transformative achievement often requires accepting temporary suffering for future success.

Examples

English: "After losing the championship, the athlete trained with extraordinary dedication for years to finally win"

Chinese: 失去冠军后，这位运动员多年来以非凡的奉献精神训练，最终获胜

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