百折不撓

简 百折不挠 · 繁 百折不撓
Mandarin · pinyin bǎi zhé bù náo

Meanings

  1. to keep on fighting in spite of all setbacks (idiom)
  2. to be undaunted by repeated setbacks
  3. to be indomitable
Full entryShow on map

Characters in this entry

百
bǎi · one hundred; numerous, many
折
zhé · break off, snap; bend
不
bù · no, not; un-; negative prefix
撓
Look up this written character
挠
náo · scratch; disturb, bother; submit
Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

Explore the spelling

Mandarin tones

3–2–4–2 · bai3 zhe2 bu4 nao2

Compare attested words with these syllables ↗

Dictionary tones. Connected speech can change their realization.

Connected dictionary

4character links
Explore word families ↗Compare pronunciations ↗Open character structure ↗
Counts describe dictionary records, not word frequency or semantic similarity. Source identities stay separate.

Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

百折不撓 · find source passages ↗ · 百折不挠 · find source passages ↗

Explore Classical grammar ↗

Compare dictionary sources Rime · Wiktionary

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

baak3 zit3 bat1 naau4

Cantonese word readings for 百折不撓. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

CanCLID contributors · CC BY 4.0 · source & license · Data pack

Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

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

phrase

  1. (idiomatic) indomitable; unfazed by difficulties or challenges; (slightly derogatory) stubborn; persistent

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

Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source & license · Data pack

百折不撓 · bai3 zhe2 bu4 nao2
CC-CEDICT contributors and MDBG · edition 2026-10-13 · source line 77,054
Original dictionary · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source & transformation details
Exact source record百折不撓 百折不挠 [bai3 zhe2 bu4 nao2] /to keep on fighting in spite of all setbacks (idiom)/to be undaunted by repeated setbacks/to be indomitable/