锲而不舍

鍥而不捨

qiè'ér-bùshě

idiom HSK 7-9 #40,909

Meanings

1 to keep chiseling without giving up
2 to persevere unflaggingly
3 to stick with it through to the end

Characters

to chisel; to engrave

and (classical)

to give up; to abandon

Examples

HSK 5

他锲而不舍地追求自己的梦想。

Tā qiè'érbùshě de zhuīqiú zìjǐ de mèngxiǎng.

He pursues his dreams with unflagging perseverance.

HSK 5

科学研究需要锲而不舍的精神。

Kēxué yánjiū xūyào qiè'érbùshě de jīngshén.

Scientific research requires relentless perseverance.

HSK 5

只要锲而不舍，终能成功。

Zhǐyào qiè'érbùshě, zhōng néng chénggōng.

As long as you persevere, you'll eventually succeed.

Tips

history

Comes straight from the 《荀子·劝学》: 锲而舍之，朽木不折；锲而不舍，金石可镂 - chisel and quit, even rotten wood won't break; chisel without quitting, even metal and stone can be carved. Xunzi's classic argument for persistence.

register

Formal, written, and elevated - the kind of phrase used in speeches, essays, and academic writing, not casual conversation.

Stroke Order

锲 qiè

而 ér

不 bù

舍 shě