自力更生 — “To be self-reliant”
自力更生 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to be self-reliant”. To rely on one's own efforts and resources; to stand on one's own feet and revitalize. Literally, “Self-reliance for rejuvenation”.
Frequency
自力更生 Pronunciation and Pinyin
- 自zì
- 力lì
- 更gēng
- 生shēng
自力更生 Character Breakdown
Example Sentence with 自力更生
面对生活中的挑战，我们应该培养自力更生的精神，努力克服困难。
Facing life's challenges, we should cultivate a spirit of self-reliance and strive to overcome difficulties.
Origin and Story of 自力更生
During the Western Han Dynasty, Yan An, in an effort to dissuade Emperor Wu from engaging in endless wars and attacking the Xiongnu to the north, recounted the lessons learned from the rise and fall of the Qin Dynasty.
He said: "The Qin King unified the world, annexed the six states, and proclaimed himself emperor. He ruled the entire country, abolished the feudal lords, and disarmed their forces, allowing the common people to avoid warfare and achieve self-reliance. This was what the people yearned for."
Idioms Related to 自力更生
Synonyms of 自力更生
More idioms starting with 自
- zì自shàng上ér而xià下From top to bottom
- zì自xià下ér而shàng上from the bottom up
- zì自bù不dài待yán言goes without saying
- zì自bù不liàng量lì力overestimate one's own abilities
- zì自yè业zì自dé得reap what one has sown
- zì自chǎn产zì自xiāo销produce and sell one's own products
- zì自jīn今yǐ以wǎng往From now on
- zì自jīn今yǐ已hòu后From now on
- zì自jīn今yǐ已wǎng往from now on
- zì自jīn今ér而hòu后from now on
- zì自yǐ以wéi为dé得jì计to fancy one's own clever scheme
- zì自yǐ以wéi为shì是self-righteous and opinionated
Questions about 自力更生
- What does 自力更生 mean?
- 自力更生 (zì lì gēng shēng) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to be self-reliant”.
- How do you pronounce 自力更生?
- 自力更生 is pronounced zì lì gēng shēng in Mandarin Chinese.
- What does 自力更生 literally mean?
- Literally, 自力更生 means “Self-reliance for rejuvenation”. It is used to mean “to be self-reliant”.
- Where does 自力更生 come from?
- 自力更生 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to the modern era. The full story is on this page.
- What is the Chinese definition of 自力更生?
- 更生：再次获得生命，比喻振兴起来。指不依赖外力，靠自己的力量重新振作起来，把事情办好。