拼得工夫深，铁杵磨成针 — “If deep effort is put in, an iron rod can be ground into a needle”
拼得工夫深，铁杵磨成针 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “with persistent effort and deep dedication, even the most challenging tasks can be accomplished; perseverance will eventually lead to success”. Literally, “If deep effort is put in, an iron rod can be ground into a needle”.
拼得工夫深，铁杵磨成针 Pronunciation and Pinyin
拼得工夫深，铁杵磨成针 Character Breakdown
| Character | Pinyin | Strokes | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| pīn | 9 | fight with all one's might | |
| dé | 11 | obtain, must, or suitable | |
| gōng | 3 | work, labor, industry, skill | |
| fū | 4 | man, husband, or classical particle | |
| shēn | 11 | deep, profound, or dark | |
| ， | ， | — | |
| tiě | 10 | iron metal or firm | |
| chǔ | 8 | wooden pestle; to poke | |
| mó | 16 | grind, rub, or polish | |
| chéng | 7 | to become or succeed | |
| zhēn | 7 | needle |
Example Sentence with 拼得工夫深，铁杵磨成针
Origin and Story of 拼得工夫深，铁杵磨成针
During the Tang Dynasty, the famous poet Li Bai was not a diligent student in his youth. He often threw aside his books to go play.
One day, Li Bai encountered an old woman with white hair who was grinding a large iron rod on a stone. Feeling curious, he asked her what she was doing.
The old woman told him she was trying to grind it into an embroidery needle.
Li Bai was deeply moved by her perseverance. From that day forward, he studied diligently and eventually became a renowned literary master.
Idioms Related to 拼得工夫深，铁杵磨成针
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Open the tool →Questions about 拼得工夫深，铁杵磨成针
What does 拼得工夫深，铁杵磨成针 mean?
拼得工夫深，铁杵磨成针 (pīn dé gōng fū shēn ， tiě chǔ mó chéng zhēn) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “with persistent effort and deep dedication, even the most challenging tasks can be accomplished; perseverance will eventually lead to success”.
How do you pronounce 拼得工夫深，铁杵磨成针?
拼得工夫深，铁杵磨成针 is pronounced pīn dé gōng fū shēn ， tiě chǔ mó chéng zhēn in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 拼得工夫深，铁杵磨成针 literally mean?
Literally, 拼得工夫深，铁杵磨成针 means “If deep effort is put in, an iron rod can be ground into a needle”. It is used to mean “with persistent effort and deep dedication, even the most challenging tasks can be accomplished; perseverance will eventually lead to success”.
Where does 拼得工夫深，铁杵磨成针 come from?
拼得工夫深，铁杵磨成针 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 拼得工夫深，铁杵磨成针?
铁杵：铁棒槌。只要肯花大功夫，即使铁棒槌也能磨成绣花针。比喻只要肯花力气，事情一定能成功