咬紧牙关

咬緊牙關

yǎojǐn-yáguān

idiom #25,356

Meanings

1 to grit one's teeth
2 to clench one's teeth and bear it
3 to endure with determination

Characters

joint; gate; crucial point

Examples

虽然很痛苦，但他咬紧牙关坚持到了最后。

Suīrán hěn tòngkǔ, dàn tā yǎojǐnyáguān jiānchí dào le zuìhòu.

Although it was very painful, he gritted his teeth and held on to the very end.

创业初期很艰难，只能咬紧牙关撑过去。

Chuàngyè chūqī hěn jiānnán, zhǐnéng yǎojǐnyáguān chēng guòqù.

The early days of starting a business are tough — you just have to grit your teeth and push through.

她咬紧牙关完成了最后一公里。

Tā yǎojǐnyáguān wánchéng le zuìhòu yī gōnglǐ.

She gritted her teeth and completed the last kilometer.

Tips

memory

Picture literally biting down hard on your own jaw — 咬 (bite) + 紧 (tight) + 牙关 (jaw joint). The physical image captures the mental image of bearing pain or difficulty.

Stroke Order

咬 yǎo

紧 jǐn

牙 yá

关 guān