自强不息
- Literal
- strengthening oneself without ceasing
- Figurative
- To strive tirelessly to better yourself and stand on your own feet; a serious term of praise, common in speeches, mottoes, and biographies.
Where does 自强不息 come from?
It does not come from an anecdote but from a maxim in the Book of Changes (Zhouyi). In the commentary on the image of the first hexagram, Qian, it reads: "Heaven moves with vigor; the noble person, following it, strengthens himself without rest." The unceasing course of heaven serves as a model for human conduct. Together with its counterpart from the Kun hexagram, 厚德载物 ("with generous virtue, bear all things"), it forms the motto of Tsinghua University. Today it is used to praise someone who refuses to give up and gets ahead through their own effort.
Source (出处): 《周易·乾》
How is 自强不息 used? Two examples
- 她一个人带着孩子，白天上班晚上自学，真是自强不息。
She's raising her kid on her own, working by day and teaching herself at night; she just keeps pushing herself forward.
- 这支球队去年垫底，靠着自强不息的精神今年打进了决赛。
The team finished last a year ago, and by refusing to give up it has made the final this season.
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