📖 Meaning
To be firm and resolute, refusing to yield or submit under pressure. It describes an unyielding character that stands fast in the face of adversity or intimidation. The phrase praises moral strength and steadfastness.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from the Warring States period text Xunzi, specifically the chapter 'Fa Xing' (《荀子·法行》). The philosopher Xunzi wrote '坚强而不屈，义也' — 'to be firm and unbending is righteousness' — using the phrase to describe the moral virtue of integrity, comparing it to the enduring qualities of jade. Over time the expression became a standalone idiom praising unyielding spirit.
💡 Example Usage
面对敌人的严刑拷打，他坚强不屈，始终没有泄露任何机密。
Facing the enemy's brutal torture, he remained unyielding and never revealed any secrets.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 坚强不屈
- Pinyin: jiān qiáng bù qū
- Literal Translation: firm, strong, not, bend
- Category: Perseverance
- Characters: 4