10 Chinese Idioms About Poverty & Hardship
Resilient Chinese idioms about poverty, economic hardship, and maintaining dignity through difficult financial times.
Chinese history is filled with stories of people rising from poverty to greatness. These idioms acknowledge the reality of hardship while celebrating the resilience and dignity of those who endure.
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
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
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
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
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
Quick Reference
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