諺語 · a single proverb
貴在堅持
Simplified: 贵在坚持
What does 貴在堅持 (guì zài jiān chí) mean?
貴在堅持 (guì zài jiān chí) is a colloquial saying (súyǔ 俗語). Word for word it reads "the value lies in persisting." In use it means: The precious thing is not talent or opportunity but the willingness to keep going. Persistence is the quality that turns everything else into results. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Earth note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Ox.
Literally: "the value lies in persisting."
The reading
Talent gets you to the starting line. Persistence gets you to the finish. The world is full of talented people who stopped, and it is run by persistent people who were not the most talented in the room. The difference is not ability. It is the decision to show up again tomorrow.
What kind of proverb it is
Source modern proverbial expression; classical root in 鍥而不捨 (Xunzi)
Sits beside
Keep reading
Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Perseverance & the Long Road, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Ox, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Tiger.
Questions
Is 貴在堅持 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 貴在堅持 (guì zài jiān chí) is a colloquial saying (súyǔ 俗語), and it comes from modern proverbial expression; classical root in 鍥而不捨 (Xunzi). It is living Chinese heritage, given here with per-character pinyin and its source so you can trust the line, not a phrase invented in English.
How do you pronounce 貴在堅持?
In Mandarin it is guì zài jiān chí. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 貴在堅持 aloud in Mandarin.