What's the difference between these two Chinese idioms?
铁杵成针 (iron pestle to needle) is about grinding through an impossible task, while 绳锯木断 (rope saws wood) emphasizes that even soft effort cuts through hard obstacles over time.
tiě chǔ chéng zhēn
“Success through persistence”
Literally: Iron rod becomes needle
The tale of an elderly woman grinding an iron (铁) pestle (杵) into a needle (针) dates to the Northern Song Dynasty. When Li Bai saw her task, she explained that with enough persistence, even the impossible becomes possible. Her story became so influential that the actual grinding stone was preserved ...
Example: Through years of practice, the amateur artist became a master
Chinese: 通过多年练习，这位业余艺术家成为了大师
shéng jù mù duàn
“Perseverance leads to success”
Literally: Rope saws wood apart
The idiom 绳锯木断 (shéng jù mù duàn) is derived from a story during the Song Dynasty involving a county magistrate named Zhang Guaiya. In a time when theft was rampant in Chongyang County, Zhang sought to curb this trend. He caught a treasury officer stealing a single copper coin and, despite the small...
Example: With consistent effort, he managed to achieve his goals, just like a rope saw gradually cuts through wood.
Chinese: 他绳锯木断，经过不懈努力终于实现了目标。
| Aspect | 铁杵成针 | 绳锯木断 |
|---|---|---|
| Pinyin | tiě chǔ chéng zhēn | shéng jù mù duàn |
| Literal Meaning | Iron rod becomes needle | Rope saws wood apart |
| Used For | Success through persistence | Perseverance leads to success |
| Theme | Success & Perseverance | Success & Perseverance |
| Example | Through years of practice, the amateur artist became a master | With consistent effort, he managed to achieve his goals, just like a rope saw gradually cuts through wood. |
铁杵成针 (iron pestle to needle) is about grinding through an impossible task, while 绳锯木断 (rope saws wood) emphasizes that even soft effort cuts through hard obstacles over time.
铁杵成针 literally means "Iron rod becomes needle" and is used to describe "Success through persistence." The tale of an elderly woman grinding an iron (铁) pestle (杵) into a needle (针) dates to the Northern Song Dynasty. When Li Bai saw her task, she explained that with enough persistence, even the imposs
绳锯木断 literally means "Rope saws wood apart" and is used to describe "Perseverance leads to success." The idiom 绳锯木断 (shéng jù mù duàn) is derived from a story during the Song Dynasty involving a county magistrate named Zhang Guaiya. In a time when theft was rampant in Chongyang County, Zhang sought t
Use 铁杵成针 when you want to emphasize "Success through persistence." Use 绳锯木断 when you want to emphasize "Perseverance leads to success." 铁杵成针 (iron pestle to needle) is about grinding through an impossible task, while 绳锯木断 (rope saws wood) emphasizes that even soft effort cuts through hard obstacles over time.
愚公移山 (Old Man moves mountains) is about multi-generational persistence against impossible odds, while 铁杵成针 (pestle to needle) is about individual effort on a difficult task. Collective vs individual persistence.
千锤百炼 (thousand hammerings) is about being tempered through repeated trials, while 铁杵成针 (iron pestle to needle) is about persistent grinding. Being shaped by external force vs applying your own effort.