10 Motivational Chinese Idioms for Encouragement

Unity creates strength

Literal meaning: Many wills make wall

This architectural metaphor shows how many wills (众志) can form an impenetrable wall (城), drawing from ancient Chinese defensive architecture. It gained significance during the Warring States period when city walls required massive coordinated effort to construct and defend. Historical records detail...

Advance boldly through difficulty

Literal meaning: Rapids bravely advance

This dynamic idiom describes bravely (勇) advancing (进) through rapid (急) currents (流), emerging from Tang Dynasty descriptions of skilled boatmen navigating the treacherous Three Gorges of the Yangtze River. The phrase gained political significance during the Song Dynasty, when reformer Wang Anshi u...

Perfect execution without revision

Literal meaning: Writing needing no corrections

This flawless idiom describes writing (文) that needs no (不) added (加) corrections (点), referencing Three Kingdoms period literary genius Lu Ji. Historical accounts claim Lu's compositions emerged so perfect that no markings or corrections were needed—extraordinary in an era when editing involved add...

Natural selection eliminates the unfit

Literal meaning: Superior wins inferior eliminated

This evolutionary idiom describes how the superior (优) survives (胜) while the inferior (劣) is eliminated (汰), entering Chinese discourse during the late Qing Dynasty through translations of Herbert Spencer's social Darwinism. It gained prominence during early Republican-era modernization movements a...

Volunteer bravely; step forward willingly

Literal meaning: Self-recommend with vigor and courage

This idiom describes volunteering (自告) with vigor (奋) and courage (勇), emphasizing initiative and bravery in stepping forward. The phrase combines self-nomination with the qualities needed to follow through. It appeared in historical texts describing brave soldiers or officials who volunteered for d...

Get worse; intensify negatively

Literal meaning: Change origin add severity

This idiom describes change (变) from the original (本) state by adding (加) severity (厉). It depicts situations that worsen instead of improving, with problems intensifying rather than resolving. The phrase appeared in historical texts describing officials whose corruption deepened over time. It captu...

Add insult to injury; make things worse

Literal meaning: Add frost on top of snow

This idiom describes adding (加) frost (霜) on top of (上) snow (雪). Both snow and frost are cold, so adding frost to snow intensifies an already difficult situation. The phrase vividly captures the compounding of misfortunes. It appeared in Song Dynasty poetry describing accumulated hardships. Modern ...

Share the same goals and values

Literal meaning: Same aspirations, aligned paths

This idiom describes having the same (同) aspirations (志) and aligned (合) paths (道). It depicts people united by shared goals and values rather than mere proximity or convenience. The phrase emphasizes ideological and purposeful alignment. Modern usage describes like-minded people who come together b...

Have victory in the bag; be certain to win

Literal meaning: Firmly hold the winning ticket

This idiom describes firmly (稳) holding (操) the winning (胜) ticket (券). It depicts having victory virtually assured, like holding a winning lottery ticket. The phrase expresses confidence in certain success. Modern usage describes situations where success seems guaranteed, when one has such overwhel...

Have victory assured; be confident of winning

Literal meaning: Victory ticket in grasp

This idiom describes the victory (胜) ticket (券) being in (在) one's grasp (握). Similar to 稳操胜券, it depicts assured victory. The phrase expresses confidence that success is already secured. Modern usage describes situations where one feels certain of winning, when all factors point toward inevitable s...