📖 Meaning
Neither bending nor breaking; unwavering and unyielding. It describes a person of upright moral integrity and resolute willpower who refuses to compromise or submit under pressure.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from Song dynasty scholar Liu Yan's work 'Er Yan' (迩言). Liu Yan drew an analogy between viewing the Qiantang River tidal bore—likened to a fierce warrior's resolve—and gazing upon the Heavenly Pillar of Xiandu, which he compared to the spirit of an upright minister who neither bends nor breaks. He used this imagery to praise officials who serve as pillars of the state, capable of expanding territory and holding up the sky.
💡 Example Usage
面对权贵的威逼利诱，他始终不挠不折，坚守自己的信念。
Faced with threats and temptations from the powerful, he remained unbending and unyielding, holding fast to his convictions.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 不挠不折
- Pinyin: bù náo bù zhé
- Literal Translation: not, bend, not, break
- Category: Determination
- Characters: 4