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勤能補拙

简勤能补拙 · 繁勤能補拙

Mandarin · pinyin qín néng bǔ zhuō

(idiom) hard work can make up for lack of natural talent

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Characters in this entry

勤: qín · industrious, diligent, attentive
能: néng · to be able; can, permitted to; ability
補: Look up this written character
拙: zhuō · stupid, clumsy, crude; convention
补: bǔ · mend, patch, fix, repair, restore

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

2–2–3–1 · qin2 neng2 bu3 zhuo1

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 1 sense · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

kan4 nang4 bou2 zyut3

Cantonese word readings for 勤能補拙. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

phrase

(idiomatic) diligence makes up for one's dullness

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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