8 Chinese Idioms About Hard Work & Perseverance
Powerful Chinese idioms that celebrate diligence, persistence, and the value of hard work.
The Chinese work ethic is legendary, and these idioms reflect centuries of wisdom about the value of diligence and persistence. Whether you're facing challenges at work or pursuing personal goals, these expressions offer encouragement.
水滴石穿
shuǐ dī shí chuānPersistence achieves anything
Literal: Water drops pierce stone
This idiom captures the power of persistence through the image of water (水) drops (滴) piercing (穿) stone (石). First documented in Han Dynasty texts, it was inspired by observations of natural cave formations created by centuries of dripping water. The imagery gained prominence during the Tang Dynast...
Example
With consistent practice, she finally mastered the difficult skill
通过持续练习，她终于掌握了这项难度很大的技能
天道酬勤
tiān dào chóu qínHeaven rewards diligence
Literal: Heaven's way rewards diligence
This idiom encapsulates the belief that Heaven's way (天道) rewards (酬) diligence (勤). Emerging from Song Dynasty Neo-Confucian teachings, it reflects the synthesis of cosmic order with human effort. The concept challenged both fatalistic acceptance and the belief in pure luck, suggesting instead that...
Example
Her years of hard work finally paid off with a major breakthrough
她多年的努力终于带来了重大突破
百折不挠
bǎi zhé bù náoUnshakeable despite adversity
Literal: Bend hundred times never yield
Dating to the Warring States period, this idiom describes bamboo that bends a hundred (百) times (折) but never (不) yields (挠). The imagery comes from ancient observations of bamboo groves surviving severe storms by bending rather than breaking. The metaphor gained particular significance during the T...
Example
Despite numerous rejections, she never gave up on her dreams
尽管屡次被拒绝，她从未放弃梦想
逆水行舟
nì shuǐ xíng zhōuProgress needs constant effort
Literal: Boat moving against current
This idiom describes a boat (舟) moving (行) against (逆) the current (水), originally appearing in Tang Dynasty texts discussing persistence in difficult endeavors. The metaphor draws from the experience of river traders who understood that stopping meant drifting backward. During the Song Dynasty, it ...
Example
In this competitive industry, you must keep improving or fall behind
在这个竞争激烈的行业，你必须不断进步，否则就会落后
破釜沉舟
pò fǔ chén zhōuCommit with no retreat
Literal: Break pots sink boats
Originating from a famous historical event in 207 BCE, this idiom recounts how general Xiang Yu ordered his troops to break (破) their cooking pots (釜) and sink (沉) their boats (舟) before battling the Qin army. By eliminating the possibility of retreat, he created absolute commitment to victory. Duri...
Example
He quit his job to start a business, fully committed to success
他辞去工作创业，全身心投入追求成功
守时如金
shǒu shí rú jīnValue time preciously
Literal: Value time like gold
This idiom, emerging during the Song Dynasty's growing commercial culture, equates valuing (如) time (时) with gold (金). It gained prominence as mechanical water clocks improved timekeeping precision, making punctuality increasingly important in civil service and commerce. The comparison was particula...
Example
She always arrived early for meetings, respecting everyone's time
她总是提前到达会议，尊重每个人的时间
知行合一
zhī xíng hé yīPractice what you know
Literal: Knowledge and action unite as one
Popularized by Neo-Confucian philosopher Wang Yangming in the Ming Dynasty, this idiom unites knowledge (知) and action (行) as one (合一). Wang challenged the traditional separation between theoretical understanding and practical application, arguing that true knowledge inherently manifests in action. ...
Example
He doesn't just talk about environmental protection, he lives it
他不仅谈论环保，更是身体力行
学海无涯
xué hǎi wú yáLearning is limitless
Literal: Ocean of learning has no shores
This idiom comes from a longer phrase '学海无涯，苦作舟渡' - the sea (海) of learning (学) has no shores (无涯), but hard work is the boat that crosses it. First appearing in Song Dynasty scholarly texts, it gained prominence during the Ming period when private academies flourished. The ocean metaphor was especi...
Example
Even at 80, she continues to learn new things every day
即使八十岁了，她每天仍在学习新东西
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