执迷不悟

執迷不悟

zhímíbùwù

idiom #33,613

Meanings

1 to obstinately persist in the wrong
2 to refuse to see the error of one's ways

Characters

to grasp; cling to

to wake up (mentally); realize

Examples

他执迷不悟，最终害了自己。

Tā zhí mí bù wù, zuìzhōng hài le zìjǐ.

He obstinately refused to change course and ended up ruining himself.

劝了他那么多次，他还是执迷不悟。

Quàn le tā nàme duō cì, tā háishi zhí mí bù wù.

We warned him so many times, but he's still stuck in his ways.

如果你再这样执迷不悟，就没人能帮你了。

Rúguǒ nǐ zài zhèyàng zhí mí bù wù, jiù méi rén néng bāng nǐ le.

If you keep stubbornly refusing to see reason, no one will be able to help you.

Tips

history

Found in 《梁书·武帝纪》 (Tang compilation by Yao Silian): '若执迷不悟，距逆王师，大军一临，刑兹罔郝' — originally warning rebels against persisting in defiance of imperial forces.

usage

Strongly negative and impatient in tone — used after repeated warnings have failed. Often follows 劝/警告/教训…还是 structures. The implicit request is 'wake up and change direction.'

Stroke Order

执 zhí

迷 mí

不 bù

悟 wù