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大雪压青松

大雪壓青松
dàxuěyāqīngsōng
phrase

Meanings

  1. 1 heavy snow presses down on the green pine
  2. 2 (fig.) adversity tests true character; the strong endure
  3. 3 (lit.) big snow presses green pine

Examples

公司遇到危机，他像大雪压青松那样顶住压力，带团队渡过难关。
Gōngsī yùdào wēijī, tā xiàng dàxuě yā qīngsōng nàyàng dǐngzhù yālì, dài tuánduì dùguò nánguān.
When the company faced a crisis, he bore the pressure like 'heavy snow pressing on a green pine,' leading the team through the hardship.
真正的志气，要在大雪压青松的时候才看得出来。
Zhēnzhèng de zhìqì, yào zài dàxuě yā qīngsōng de shíhou cái kàn de chūlái.
True mettle only shows when 'heavy snow is pressing down on the green pine.'

Tips

history
From 陈毅《青松》(Chen Yi, 1960), a short five-character poem written during a political storm: 大雪压青松，青松挺且直。要知松高洁，待到雪化时 (Heavy snow presses on the green pine; the pine stands straight and firm. To know the pine's nobility, wait till the snow melts). Chen Yi was a PLA marshal and foreign minister; the poem became a proverbial image of integrity under pressure.
usage
Always quoted with the follow-up 青松挺且直 — the two lines form one unit. Modern usage: adversity revealing character, often in political, sports, or business commentary.

Stroke Order

大 dà
雪 xuě
压 yā
青 qīng
松 sōng