10 Chinese Idioms About Overcoming Adversity
Powerful Chinese idioms about facing hardship, enduring struggles, and emerging stronger from challenges.
Life's greatest lessons often come through adversity. These powerful idioms capture the Chinese spirit of resilience - facing hardship with courage and emerging stronger.
众口铄金
zhòng kǒu shuò jīnPublic opinion is powerful
Literal: Many mouths melt gold
This powerful metaphor suggests that numerous (众) mouths (口) speaking together can melt (铄) even gold (金). Originating in the Han Dynasty, it reflects the ancient Chinese understanding of public opinion's force. The image of collective voices generating enough heat to melt precious metal dramaticall...
Example
The social media campaign succeeded in changing the company's policy
社交媒体运动成功改变了公司的政策
披荆斩棘
pī jīng zhǎn jíOvercome all obstacles
Literal: Cut thorns break brambles
This vivid idiom describes cutting through (披) thorny shrubs (荆) and hacking (斩) through brambles (棘), originating from historical accounts of early settlers clearing wilderness for cultivation. During the Han Dynasty, it became associated with the founding of new territories and opportunities. The ...
Example
She built her company from scratch, overcoming countless challenges
她白手起家创建公司，克服了无数挑战
插翅难飞
chā chì nán fēiUtterly impossible to escape
Literal: Add wings difficult fly
This vivid idiom suggests that even adding (插) wings (翅) wouldn't make escape possible (难飞), originating from Tang Dynasty prison terminology. Historical records describe how imperial prisons were designed so securely that the metaphorical addition of wings wouldn't enable flight. The phrase gained ...
Example
The criminal found escape impossible despite elaborate plans
尽管有精心策划，罪犯发现逃脱是不可能的
不胫而走
bù jìng ér zǒuSpread widely and rapidly on its own
Literal: Without legs yet walks
This mysterious idiom describes something that walks/spreads (走) without (不) legs (胫), originating from Han Dynasty discussions of information dissemination. It first appeared in texts describing how news traveled rapidly through informal networks despite official efforts to control communication. T...
Example
The rumor spread throughout the organization without any official announcement
谣言在没有任何官方宣布的情况下传遍了整个组织
半途而废
bàn tú ér fèiQuitting before completion
Literal: Abandon halfway through journey
This unfinished idiom describes abandoning (废) a journey midway (半途), originating from Han Dynasty Confucian texts on perseverance. It first appeared in discussions about moral cultivation, emphasizing the importance of completing what one begins. During the Tang Dynasty, it gained prominence in edu...
Example
After months of training, she quit just weeks before the competition
经过数月的训练，她在比赛前几周就放弃了
忍俊不禁
rěn jùn bù jīnUnable to hide amusement
Literal: Cannot suppress a smile
This amused idiom describes being unable (不禁) to suppress (忍) a smile or laughter (俊), originating from Six Dynasties period literary descriptions. It first appeared in court chronicles describing officials maintaining composure despite amusing situations. The specific character '俊' originally refer...
Example
Even the stern professor couldn't help smiling at the clever comment
即使是严厉的教授也忍不住对这个机智的评论微笑
狐狸尾巴
hú li wěi baTrue nature eventually revealed
Literal: Fox's tail
This revealing idiom references a fox's (狐狸) tail (尾巴) as something hidden that eventually shows itself, originating from Tang Dynasty folklore where foxes could transform into humans but struggled to conceal their tails completely. These stories reflected the belief that true nature inevitably reve...
Example
His careful public image slipped, revealing his true selfish intentions
他精心设计的公众形象滑落，暴露了他真正的自私意图
曲高和寡
qǔ gāo hè guǎSophisticated work appreciated by few
Literal: Tune high harmony few
This cultural idiom observes that when a tune is too sophisticated (曲高), few can harmonize (和寡) with it. It originates from the 'Book of Han' biography of music master Li Yannian, whose complex compositions impressed Emperor Wu but remained inaccessible to ordinary listeners. During the Tang Dynasty...
Example
The experimental film received critical acclaim but struggled to find a mainstream audience
这部实验电影获得了评论界的赞誉，但难以吸引主流观众
枕戈待旦
zhěn gē dài dànMaintain high vigilance awaiting challenge
Literal: Pillow spear await dawn
Among the ancient verses of the 'Book of Songs' (1000-600 BCE), this image of soldiers using spears as pillows (枕戈) while awaiting dawn (待旦) captured the essence of vigilant readiness. The concept of sacrificing comfort for security resonated deeply in ancient Chinese military thought. Han Dynasty t...
Example
The security team remained vigilant throughout the night, prepared for any threat
安保团队整夜保持警惕，准备应对任何威胁
自力更生
zì lì gēng shēngSelf-reliance without external dependence
Literal: Self-strength regenerate life
Buddhist concepts of spiritual self-regeneration took on powerful new meaning during China's early 20th century struggle for independence. This idea of using one's own strength (自力) to create renewed life (更生) became a national motto during the 1960s-70s when self-sufficiency was paramount. The phra...
Example
After the economic embargo, the nation developed independent industrial capacity
经济禁运后，这个国家发展了独立的工业能力
Quick Reference
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