CHENGYU
不屈不挠(bù qū bù náo)meaning, story and origin
- Register:
- neutral, approving
- Source:
- 《汉书·叙传下》
MEANING
- Literal
- not to bend and not to give way
- Figurative meaning
- unyielding; indomitable
ORIGIN STORY
The Book of Han praises a nobleman as "not bending and not yielding" — unbroken by pressure. The doubled negative draws the shape of a will that will not bow.
NATURAL EQUIVALENT
“never say die”
EXAMPLES
他凭着不屈不挠的精神，终于成功了。Tā píng zhe bù qū bù náo de jīngshén, zhōngyú chénggōng le.HSK6
With an unyielding spirit he finally succeeded.
面对失败，我们要不屈不挠。Miànduì shībài, wǒmen yào bù qū bù náo.HSK6
In the face of failure, we must not bend or break.
COMMON MISTAKE
Watch out: Note the reading: 挠 is náo (to yield). It is perseverance against difficulty, not stubbornness about errors.
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TRUST & SOURCES
- Reviewed by
- AI-assisted editorial review
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-15
- CC-CEDICT 2026-01-01