锲而不舍
锲而不舍 (qiè ér bù shě) literally means “carve and not stop” and expresses “persevere until success”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving success and perseverance.
Also searched as: qie er bu she, qie er bu she,锲而不舍 meaning, 锲而不舍 in english
Persevere until success
Pronunciation: qiè ér bù shě Literal meaning: Carve and not stop
Origin & Usage
This comes from the Xunzi: carve and give up, and rotten wood will not break; carve (锲) without ceasing (不舍), and metal and stone can be worked. The contrast is deliberate — persistence beats material, and abandoning the attempt defeats even the easy case. It is about the carving of metal and stone, not about moving a mountain, which is a different parable. Effort kept up past the point at which stopping would have been reasonable.
Examples
English: "Despite repeated failures, the researcher continued his experiments with determination"
Chinese: 尽管屡次失败，研究员仍然坚持不懈地进行实验
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about success & perseverance
精卫填海
jīng wèi tián hǎi
Persist despite impossibility
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自强不息
zì qiáng bù xī
Strive continuously for self-improvement
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登堂入室
dēng táng rù shì
Progress from basic to advanced
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铁杵成针
tiě chǔ chéng zhēn
Success through persistence
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卧薪尝胆
wò xīn cháng dǎn
Endure hardship for future success
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愚公移山
yú gōng yí shān
Persistence overcomes huge obstacles
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再接再厉
zài jiē zài lì
Continue efforts with undiminished enthusiasm
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依依不舍
yī yī bù shě
Reluctant to part; lingering attachment
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 锲而不舍 mean in English?
锲而不舍 (qiè ér bù shě) literally translates to “Carve and not stop” and is used to express “Persevere until success”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Success & Perseverance category.
When is 锲而不舍 used?
Situation: Despite repeated failures, the researcher continued his experiments with determination
What is the pinyin for 锲而不舍?
The pinyin pronunciation for 锲而不舍 is “qiè ér bù shě”.
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