艰苦奋斗

• Pinyin: jiān kǔ fèn dòu
• Hanzi breakdown: 艰 = unyielding difficulty; 苦 = 草 + 古 (bitter — plant root that tastes bitter); 奋 = 大 + 田 + 隹 (exerting great force — a bird taking flight with full strength); 斗 = 斗 (ancient ladle used in fighting or contesting)

Meaning

To work hard in difficult conditions; to struggle tenaciously through hardship. A key ideological concept emphasising perseverance and self-reliance in the face of adversity.

A fixed four-character idiom with strong political and cultural resonance in Chinese society, closely associated with the founding generation of the People's Republic and revolutionary spirit. Appears frequently in political speeches, party documents, and educational materials. Conveys the virtue of hard work, thrift, and refusing to give up despite privation.

Examples

1. 老一辈革命家艰苦奋斗的精神值得我们永远铭记。 The older generation of revolutionaries' spirit of hard work and perseverance is something we should remember forever.
2. 创业初期公司资金匮乏，全体员工凭着艰苦奋斗的精神渡过了难关。 In the early days of the startup, cash was tight, but everyone got through the crisis by relying on a spirit of hard work and perseverance.
3. 他们在荒无人烟的戈壁滩上艰苦奋斗了三十年，终于建成了一座现代化城市。 They struggled through hardship for thirty years on a desolate Gobi desert, and in the end built a modern city.

Usage Guide

Context: political discourse, party documents, historical narratives, education, motivational speeches

Tone: solemn

Do Say

• 正因一代代建设者艰苦奋斗、无私奉献，这片土地才实现了历史性跨越。(It is precisely because generations of builders have worked hard and given selflessly that this land has achieved a historic leap forward.)
• 企业在顺境中收获成果重要，但培养员工在逆境中艰苦奋斗更关键。(It is important for a company to achieve results in good times, but it is even more crucial to train employees to persevere and struggle through adversity.)

Don't Say

• 艰苦奋斗 is a politically and culturally loaded idiom — using it in purely commercial or trivial contexts can sound affected or tone-deaf. In everyday speech, prefer 努力拼搏 or 坚持不懈 for general hard work. Reserve 艰苦奋斗 for contexts that genuinely involve hardship, self-sacrifice, or collective struggle.

Origin & History

艰苦 (hard and bitter conditions) + 奋斗 (to struggle; to strive — 奋 exert strength + 斗 fight/contest)

Cultural Context

Era: 20th century–present

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal