迎难而上
迎难而上 (yíng nán ér shàng) literally means “face difficulties head-on” and expresses “persevere through challenges”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving success and perseverance.
Also searched as: ying nan er shang, ying nan er shang,迎难而上 meaning, 迎难而上 in english
Persevere through challenges
Pronunciation: yíng nán ér shàng Literal meaning: Face difficulties head-on
Origin & Usage
To meet (迎) the difficulty (难) and go up (上) into it. It belongs to the vocabulary of official encouragement — work reports, campaign slogans, school assemblies. What distinguishes it from ordinary perseverance is direction: 迎 is movement toward the thing, so the phrase describes choosing the harder route while an easier one is available. Its natural opposite is 知难而退, and Chinese sets the two against each other constantly.
Examples
English: "In the face of adversity, she chose to confront the challenges head-on"
Chinese: 面对困难，她选择迎难而上
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about success & perseverance
迎刃而解
yíng rèn ér jiě
Easily solved once properly approached
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辞旧迎新
cí jiù yíng xīn
To see out the old year and welcome the new one
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知难而进
zhī nán ér jìn
Press on despite awareness of challenges
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知难而退
zhī nán ér tuì
Back off once the difficulty is clear; often, give up when it gets hard
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后来居上
hòu lái jū shàng
Latecomers surpass the early starters
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扶摇直上
fú yáo zhí shàng
Rise rapidly; soar straight up
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青云直上
qīng yún zhí shàng
Rise quickly to high position
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锲而不舍
qiè ér bù shě
Persevere until success
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 迎难而上 mean in English?
迎难而上 (yíng nán ér shàng) literally translates to “Face difficulties head-on” and is used to express “Persevere through challenges”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Success & Perseverance category.
When is 迎难而上 used?
Situation: In the face of adversity, she chose to confront the challenges head-on
What is the pinyin for 迎难而上?
The pinyin pronunciation for 迎难而上 is “yíng nán ér shàng”.