硬

• Pinyin: yìng
• Hanzi breakdown: 硬 = 石 (stone) + 更 (more) — hard, tough

Meaning

Hard; tough; stiff; forcefully; stubbornly. Physical hardness or firmness, or doing something by force or insistence.

As an adjective, describes physical hardness (硬币 hard coin), stiffness (身体僵硬), or toughness of character (硬汉 tough guy). As an adverb, means forcefully, stubbornly, or insistently: 硬要 (insist on), 硬说 (insist on saying), 硬撑 (force oneself to endure).

Examples

1. 这块面包放太久了，已经变硬了。 This bread has been left too long and has become hard.
2. 他态度很硬，一点都不肯让步。 His attitude is very firm, not willing to compromise at all.
3. 明明生病了，他还硬撑着去上班。 He was clearly sick, but he forced himself to go to work anyway.

Usage Guide

Context: physical description, personality, manner of action

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 这个座位太硬了，坐着不舒服。(This seat is too hard, it's uncomfortable to sit on.)
• 他硬是不肯承认错误。(He stubbornly refused to admit his mistake.)

Don't Say

• 说'硬的问题'表示困难的问题 (Don't use 硬 for abstract difficulty — use 难 or 棘手; 硬 is for physical hardness or stubborn behavior)

Origin & History

硬 is composed of 石 (stone) + 更 (more, to change). Stone represents hardness, creating the meaning of hard or tough.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal