Keywords: jianchi, 坚持, persist in Chinese, insist in Chinese, uphold Chinese, Chinese word for perseverance, determination in Chinese, learn Chinese persistence, HSK 4 vocabulary.
Summary: Discover the meaning of 坚持 (jiānchí), a powerful Chinese word that goes beyond simple persistence. This entry explores how jiānchí embodies the core cultural value of perseverance and determination. Learn how to use it to talk about sticking to your goals, insisting on your opinions, and upholding principles, making it an essential term for any student of Chinese language and culture.
Core Meaning
Pinyin (with tone marks): jiānchí
Part of Speech: Verb, Noun
HSK Level: HSK 4
Concise Definition: To persist in, to insist on, to persevere with; persistence.
In a Nutshell:坚持 (jiānchí) is the act of holding firm to a course of action, a belief, or a principle, especially in the face of difficulty or opposition. It's not just “continuing” something; it implies a conscious, determined effort to not give up. Think of it as the active embodiment of willpower and endurance, a highly respected trait in Chinese culture.
Character Breakdown
坚 (jiān): Firm, solid, strong. The character contains the radical for “earth” (土), evoking the image of something solid, stable, and unshakeable, like the ground beneath your feet.
持 (chí): To hold, to grasp, to support. This character contains the radical for “hand” (手), clearly indicating the action of holding onto something.
When combined, 坚持 (jiānchí) literally means “to firmly hold.” This vivid imagery perfectly captures the essence of the word: grasping onto a goal, an idea, or a principle and refusing to let go.
Cultural Context and Significance
A Cornerstone Virtue: In Chinese culture, 坚持 (jiānchí) is more than a personal strategy; it's a celebrated virtue. It is deeply connected to the concept of 吃苦耐劳 (chīkǔ nàiláo), “to bear hardships and endure hard work.” From a young age, children are taught that success in any field—be it academics, arts, or a career—is the direct result of tireless persistence. Idioms like 只要功夫深，铁杵磨成针 (zhǐyào gōngfū shēn, tiěchǔ mó chéng zhēn), meaning “If you work hard enough, you can grind an iron rod into a needle,” reinforce this cultural belief.
Comparison to Western “Grit”: The concept of 坚持 (jiānchí) is similar to the modern Western psychological concept of “grit.” However, there's a subtle but important difference in cultural framing. While “grit” in the West is often associated with individual passion and achieving personal, self-defined goals, 坚持 (jiānchí) is frequently viewed within a broader social context. One might 坚持 (jiānchí) not just for oneself, but out of a sense of duty to one's family, to meet societal expectations, or to uphold a collective principle. It carries a weight of responsibility and stoic endurance that can be more profound than the individualistic “follow your passion” narrative.
Practical Usage in Modern China
Encouraging Others: It's very common to use 坚持 (jiānchí) to motivate people. A friend training for a marathon, a colleague on a tough project, or a student preparing for an exam would all be told to 坚持下去 (jiānchí xiàqù)! — “Keep at it!” or “Hang in there!” The phrase 坚持就是胜利 (jiānchí jiùshì shènglì) — “Persistence is victory” — is a popular and powerful slogan.
Expressing Personal Resolve: You use it to describe your own long-term commitments.
Personal Habits: 我每天坚持锻炼身体。(Wǒ měitiān jiānchí duànliàn shēntǐ.) - “I persist in exercising every day.”
Opinions/Principles: 我坚持我的看法。(Wǒ jiānchí wǒ de kànfǎ.) - “I insist on/stand by my opinion.”
Formal and Official Contexts: In business or government, 坚持 (jiānchí) means “to uphold” or “to adhere to” a policy, principle, or strategy.
我们公司坚持客户第一的原则。(Wǒmen gōngsī jiānchí kèhù dì yī de yuánzé.) - “Our company upholds the principle of 'customer first'.”
Connotation: The connotation is overwhelmingly positive, signifying strength and determination. However, it can occasionally imply stubbornness if someone is insisting on a clearly wrong or unreasonable idea. In this case, it might be paired with words like 己见 (jǐjiàn), one's own opinion, to mean “stubbornly clinging to one's own view.”
English: As long as you persist, your Chinese will definitely improve.
Analysis: This is a classic sentence of encouragement for learners. `下去 (xiàqù)` is a directional complement that indicates the continuation of an action.
English: Grandpa persists in reading the newspaper every day to understand national affairs.
Analysis: This shows 坚持 as a deeply ingrained, long-term habit driven by a specific purpose.
Nuances and Common Mistakes
坚持 (jiānchí) vs. 继续 (jìxù) - “To Persist” vs. “To Continue”
This is the most common point of confusion for learners.
坚持 (jiānchí) implies an obstacle, difficulty, or a reason to stop. You use it when you are making a determined effort.
继续 (jìxù) simply means to continue an action that was paused or is ongoing. It's neutral and doesn't imply any struggle.
Correct: 雨很大，但我们坚持要回家。(Yǔ hěn dà, dàn wǒmen jiānchí yào huíjiā.) - “The rain is heavy, but we insist on going home.” (There is an obstacle: rain).
Incorrect: 会议休息十分钟，然后我们坚持开会。(Huìyì xiūxí shí fēnzhōng, ránhòu wǒmen jiānchí kāihuì.)
Why it's wrong: There's no struggle here; it's just the natural continuation of the meeting. It should be: 会议休息十分钟，然后我们继续开会。(…ránhòu wǒmen jìxù kāihuì.) - “…then we will continue the meeting.”
“Insist” in English can be demanding of others:
In English, you can say, “I insist that you come with me.” This puts pressure on someone else.
坚持 (jiānchí) is almost always about your *own* action or belief. `我坚持要去` means “I am determined to go,” not “I demand that you let me go.” To demand something of others, you would use a stronger verb like `要求 (yāoqiú)`.
Related Terms and Concepts
放弃 (fàngqì) - To give up; to abandon. The direct antonym of 坚持.
努力 (nǔlì) - To strive; to make an effort. Effort is the action you take, while 坚持 is the quality of continuing that effort over time. They are often used together.
继续 (jìxù) - To continue. As explained above, this is a neutral continuation, whereas 坚持 implies overcoming difficulty.
毅力 (yìlì) - Willpower; perseverance. This is the noun for the personal quality a person needs in order to 坚持. If you have 毅力, you can 坚持.
执着 (zhízhuó) - Persistent; attached to (something). This is similar to 坚持 but can have a stronger emotional, sometimes even obsessive, connotation. It's often used for deep personal attachments or pursuits.
维持 (wéichí) - To maintain; to preserve. Refers to keeping a situation or state from changing (e.g., `维持秩序` - maintain order). 坚持 is about actively continuing an action or holding a belief.
原则 (yuánzé) - Principle. This is a common object for the verb 坚持, as in `坚持原则` (to uphold one's principles).
吃苦耐劳 (chīkǔ nàiláo) - To bear hardships and endure hard work. A four-character idiom (chengyu) describing the cultural value that 坚持 represents.