百折不挠 (Bǎi zhé bù náo)

Basic Info

• Chinese Idiom: 百折不挠 (Bǎi zhé bù náo)
• Pinyin: bǎi zhé bù náo
• Literal meaning: “A hundred setbacks, no bending.”
  (百 = a hundred / countless; 折 = to break / setback / setback; 不 = not; 挠 = to bend / yield / flinch)

Also written as 百折不回 (bǎi zhé bù huí).

Note on pronunciation: 挠 here is read náo (second tone), meaning “to bend or yield” – not the everyday “náo” of “to scratch.” The image is of something that will not bend or break, no matter how many times it is struck.

Figurative Definition

It describes a person of indomitable will – someone who refuses to yield, retreat, or surrender no matter how many setbacks, failures, or hardships they face. Each blow may bend others, but this person stands firm.

It is high praise for resilience, perseverance, and moral courage – the quality of continuing forward when everything seems to be pushing you back.

In short: unbowed by a hundred defeats – unyielding will.

Cultural & Historical Origin

This idiom comes from the Han Dynasty scholar and calligrapher Cai Yong (蔡邕, 133–192 CE), in his Stele Inscription for Grand Commandant Qiao Gong (《太尉乔公碑》):

“（公）高明卓异，为众杰之雄，其性庄，疾华尚朴，有百折不挠、临大节而不可夺之风。”
(“[The Duke] was lofty and extraordinary, the foremost among the outstanding. His nature was solemn; he hated ostentation and valued simplicity. He possessed the character of one who does not bend through a hundred setbacks, and who cannot be moved when facing great moral tests.”)

Cai Yong was praising Qiao Gong (乔公) – a senior official – for his firm character and integrity. The phrase paired two ideas: resilience under repeated setbacks (百折不挠) and unshakeability in matters of principle (临大节而不可夺). Together they describe the ideal Confucian gentleman: flexible in method, but absolutely firm in principle.

The idiom reflects a core Chinese ethical ideal: strength of character is proven not in easy times, but in repeated hardship. The person who does not bend is not stubborn for its own sake – they are steadfast in what is right.

Key Lesson

Strength is not the absence of blows – it is the refusal to break under them. The idiom teaches that resilience is a choice made again and again: each setback is an opportunity to either bend or stand firm. It also carries a subtle distinction: 百折不挠 is about not yielding on what matters – not about being rigid in everything. The truly strong person is flexible in approach but unshakeable in principle.

Cultural Note

In modern Chinese, “百折不挠” is a highly positive, often formal or inspirational idiom. It appears in:

• Praise for perseverance – athletes, entrepreneurs, reformers, and anyone who overcomes repeated failure.
• Education and motivation – encouraging students not to give up after setbacks.
• Historical and patriotic writing – describing a nation or people who endure hardship.
• Eulogies and commendations – honoring someone’s lifelong resilience.

Its near-synonyms are “不屈不挠” (bù qū bù náo – “unyielding and unbending”), “坚强不屈” (jiān qiáng bù qū – “strong and unyielding”), and “坚韧不拔” (jiān rèn bù bá – “tough and unshakable”). Its opposites are “一蹶不振” (yī jué bù zhèn – “to collapse after one setback and never recover”) and “知难而退” (zhī nán ér tuì – “to retreat upon seeing difficulty”).

A useful comparison:

• 百折不挠 emphasizes not yielding despite repeated setbacks – resilience over time.
• 不屈不挠 emphasizes not yielding under pressure – a more general unyielding spirit.

Similar English Expressions

• Indomitable – Impossible to subdue or defeat.
• Unyielding – Not giving way under pressure.
• To never give up – A direct everyday equivalent.
• To bounce back – To recover after setbacks.
• To stand firm – To refuse to retreat or change position.
• Steadfast – Firm and unwavering in purpose.
• To bend but not break – Enduring hardship without being destroyed.
• To fight on against all odds – To persist despite overwhelming difficulty.

The closest and most natural equivalents are “indomitable,” “unyielding,” and “to never give up.”

In short, “百折不挠” means a hundred setbacks and still no bending – a powerful, classical Chinese idiom for indomitable resilience, born from a Han Dynasty tribute to a man of firm principle, and a timeless reminder that the measure of a person is not how few times they fall, but how many times they refuse to stay down.