有志者事竟成

yǒuzhìzhěshìjìngchéng
proverb #32,672

Meanings

  1. 1 where there's a will, there's a way
  2. 2 a person of determination will succeed in the end

Examples

HSK 7-9
Bié huīxīn, yǒuzhìzhěshìjìngchéng.
Don't be discouraged - where there's a will, there's a way.
HSK 7-9
Tā shí nián kǔdú, zhōngyú kǎoshàng le míngxiào, zhēnshì yǒuzhìzhěshìjìngchéng.
He studied hard for ten years and finally got into a top school - truly a case of 'where there's a will, there's a way.'

Tips

history
From the Book of the Later Han (《后汉书·》): when general Geng Yan () successfully completed a campaign Emperor Guangwu had once thought impossible, the emperor praised him with 有志者事竟成 - 'one who has determination will, in the end, succeed.' The phrase has been quoted as motivational shorthand ever since, the Chinese equivalent of 'where there's a will, there's a way.'
grammar
Classical structure: 有志者 (one who has resolve) + (the matter) + (in the end, finally) + (succeed). here means 'eventually,' not 'unexpectedly' as in modern Chinese.

Stroke Order

yǒu
zhì
zhě
shì
jìng
chéng