諺語 · a single proverb
矢志不渝
What does 矢志不渝 (shǐ zhì bù yú) mean?
矢志不渝 (shǐ zhì bù yú) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "arrow aspiration does not change." In use it means: Unswerving determination; hold to one's purpose without deviation. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Metal note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Tiger.
Literally: "arrow aspiration does not change."
The reading
The arrow once loosed from the bow does not change its mind about its direction. Commitment made with this quality of intention does not renegotiate when the weather changes or the path becomes obscured. The direction was decided at the moment of the loosing, and everything since then is just the flight.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Traditional Chinese idiom (common in heroic and literary contexts)
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 Tiger, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 矢志不渝 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 矢志不渝 (shǐ zhì bù yú) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Traditional Chinese idiom (common in heroic and literary contexts). 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 矢志不渝?
In Mandarin it is shǐ zhì bù yú. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 矢志不渝 aloud in Mandarin.