10 Chinese Proverbs About Strength & Resilience

Unshakeable despite adversity

Literal meaning: 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...

Overcome all obstacles

Literal meaning: 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 ...

Courage under pressure

Literal meaning: Face danger without fear

This idiom describes facing (临) danger (危) without (不) fear (惧), originating from accounts of general Yue Fei's courage during the Southern Song Dynasty. Historical chronicles record how Yue maintained composure under extreme battlefield conditions, inspiring his troops to victory against superior f...

Press on despite awareness of challenges

Literal meaning: Know difficulty yet advance

This idiom describes the courage to recognize (知) difficulties (难) and still move forward (进), originating from Warring States military strategy texts. It first gained prominence through the story of General Wu Qi, who famously told his king that understanding battlefield challenges before engaging ...

Strive continuously for self-improvement

Literal meaning: Self-strengthen without ceasing

This motivational idiom advocates constantly (不息) strengthening (强) oneself (自), originating from the Classic of Changes during the early Zhou Dynasty. It represented one of the fundamental virtues attributed to Heaven's ceaseless motion and energy. Confucian scholars later emphasized it as the supe...

Endure hardship for future success

Literal meaning: Sleep on firewood, taste gall

This perseverance idiom combines two historical stories of determined revenge. It references King Goujian of Yue who slept on brushwood (卧薪) to remember his humiliation and Wu Zixu who tasted bile (尝胆) to never forget his family's execution. After being defeated and enslaved by King Fuchai of Wu, Go...

Heroically reversing catastrophic situation

Literal meaning: Pull back raging tides

Born from Song Dynasty accounts of flood control efforts, this idiom describes using strength (力) to pull back (挽) wild (狂) tidal waves (澜). It first honored officials who prevented natural disasters through extraordinary measures. During the Ming Dynasty, historical chronicles applied it to adminis...

Indomitable; unyielding

Literal meaning: Neither bend nor yield

This idiom combines two negations - not (不) bending (屈) and not (不) yielding (挠) - to describe absolute resistance to pressure. The phrase appears in historical texts praising martyrs and heroes who maintained their principles despite threats or torture. The double negation creates emphasis, suggest...

Press forward courageously

Literal meaning: Once going, nothing ahead can stop

This idiom describes advancing (往) with single-minded determination, with nothing (无) able to block the way ahead (前). The character 一 emphasizes unwavering focus. The phrase emerged from military contexts describing troops whose morale made them unstoppable. It embodies the ideal of commitment so c...

Travel through hardship; overcome obstacles

Literal meaning: Climb mountains, ford waters

This idiom describes climbing (跋) mountains (山) and fording (涉) waters (水). It depicts arduous travel through difficult terrain. The phrase captures the determination needed to overcome physical obstacles. Modern usage describes overcoming difficulties, the perseverance required to reach goals despi...