坚硬

• Pinyin: jiān yìng
• Hanzi breakdown: 坚 = 土 + 又 (earth + hand — firm and solid); 硬 = 石 + 更 (stone + further/more — even harder than stone, maximum rigidity)

Meaning

Hard; solid; rigid; unyielding. Describes the physical hardness or rigidity of materials, objects, or substances.

Primarily used for physical properties of materials — metals, rock, bone, and other rigid substances. Appears frequently in materials science, geology, engineering, and descriptions of natural environments. Unlike 坚韧 (resilient) or 坚实 (substantial), 坚硬 focuses purely on hardness without implying flexibility.

Examples

1. 金刚石是已知自然界中最坚硬的物质，莫氏硬度达到最高值。 Diamond is the hardest material known in nature, reaching the highest value on the Mohs hardness scale.
2. 经过特殊处理的合金外壳异常坚硬，在极端条件下依然能够保持完整的形状。 The specially treated alloy shell is exceptionally hard and can still keep its shape intact under extreme conditions.
3. 地下数百米处的岩石层坚硬致密，给钻探工程带来了极大的技术挑战。 Hundreds of meters underground, the rock layer is hard and dense, posing major technical challenges for the drilling project.

Usage Guide

Context: materials science, geology, engineering, natural description, manufacturing

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 材料科学研究的重点之一，是在保持材料坚硬的同时赋予韧性与延展性，避免冲击下脆断。(One key topic in materials science is how to keep a material hard while also giving it toughness and ductility, so it does not fracture under impact.)
• 建筑师选外立面材料时，要综合评估其坚硬程度、耐候性和美观度，确保建筑多年后仍保持结构完整。(When architects choose exterior materials, they must assess hardness, weather resistance, and appearance to ensure the building still remains structurally sound years later.)

Don't Say

• 坚硬 refers specifically to physical hardness or rigidity of materials. Do not use it figuratively to describe a person's personality or manner — use 刚硬, 强硬, or 固执 for that. Also distinguish from 坚实 (solid/substantial — can be figurative) and 坚韧 (resilient/tenacious — implies flexible endurance, not mere hardness).

Origin & History

坚 (firm; solid; hard) + 硬 (hard; stiff; rigid — 石 stone + 更 further/harder — harder than stone)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal