The teacher urged the graduates: a scholar must be broad-minded and resolute; the burden is heavy and the road is long.
Tips
history
From 《论语·泰伯》 (Analects, Book 8), spoken by Zengzi (曾子): 士不可以不弘毅，任重而道远。仁以为己任，不亦重乎？死而后已，不亦远乎？ — 'The scholar cannot lack breadth and firmness, for his burden is heavy and the road is long. To take humaneness as his own responsibility — is this not heavy? Only in death does he put it down — is this not far?' One of the defining Confucian statements of the scholar's vocation.
usage
Almost always quoted with its second clause 任重而道远 ('the burden is heavy and the road is long'). 弘 = broad, magnanimous; 毅 = firm, resolute — together 弘毅 is a compact Confucian virtue-word.
