疾风知劲草 — “Adversity reveals one's true strength and resilience”

疾风知劲草 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “Adversity reveals one's true strength and resilience”. Difficult times test and show who is truly strong and steadfast. Literally, “Strong winds know sturdy grass”.

Frequency

疾风知劲草 Pronunciation and Pinyin

疾风知劲草 Character Breakdown

Stroke Order

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
疾	jí	10	illness, fast, or hate
风	fēng	4	wind, air current, custom
知	zhī	8	to know, be aware, understand
劲	jìng	7	strength, energy, spirit
草	cǎo	10	grass, straw, draft, rough

Example Sentence with 疾风知劲草

经过了那次项目失败的打击，他并没有放弃，反而更加努力，真是疾风知劲草啊！

After the setback of that failed project, he didn't give up; instead, he worked even harder. Truly, it was a case of 'strong winds know sturdy grass'.

Origin and Story of 疾风知劲草

Wang Ba was from Yingyang during the late Western Han Dynasty. When Liu Xiu raised his army and passed through Yingyang, Wang Ba and a group of friends joined him. After enlisting, Wang Ba proved to be extremely loyal, winning many battles. He rendered great service in the decisive battle against Wang Mang's forces at Kunyang, earning Liu Xiu's deep trust.

Later, when Liu Xiu's troops crossed the Yellow River to confront Wang Lang in Handan, Hebei, their military campaign suffered significant setbacks. Wang Lang offered a hefty reward for Liu Xiu's capture, making the situation extremely perilous. At this critical juncture, Wang Ba's friends quietly slipped away, leaving only Wang Ba behind.

Liu Xiu remarked to Wang Ba, "All those who joined me in Yingyang have now departed, only you remain. Truly, 'strong winds know sturdy grass'!"

After Liu Xiu eventually unified the empire, he appointed Wang Ba as a general and always held him in high regard.