諺語 · a single proverb
自強不息
Simplified: 自强不息
What does 自強不息 (zì qiáng bù xī) mean?
自強不息 (zì qiáng bù xī) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞). Word for word it reads "self-strengthen without ceasing." In use it means: Constantly strive to improve oneself; self-improvement through ceaseless effort. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Wood note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Dragon.
Literally: "self-strengthen without ceasing."
The reading
The sky turns without resting, and the noble person takes this as their pattern. Not the desperate striver who burns out, but the one whose motion is simply continuous, the way the earth continues to turn without announcing it. Self-improvement that does not stop is not ambition but breathing, the most natural rhythm of the alive.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Yi Jing 易經·乾卦·象 (Qián Guà, Heaven Hexagram Commentary)
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 Dragon, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 自強不息 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 自強不息 (zì qiáng bù xī) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞), and it comes from Yi Jing 易經·乾卦·象 (Qián Guà, Heaven Hexagram Commentary). 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 自強不息?
In Mandarin it is zì qiáng bù xī. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 自強不息 aloud in Mandarin.