不屈

• Reading: ふくつ
• Romaji: fukutsu
• Kanji breakdown: 不 (fu) — negation; 屈 (kutsu) — yield, bend, submit
• Pronunciation: /ɸɯkɯtsɯ/

Meaning

Indomitable; unyielding; refusing to be broken or defeated.

A na-adjective almost exclusively found in formal or literary contexts modifying nouns like 精神 (spirit), 意志 (will), or 闘志 (fighting spirit). 不屈の精神 is a classic set phrase in biographies, sports journalism, and eulogies. It carries strong positive connotations of admirable, principled perseverance.

Examples

1. 不屈の精神で幾多の困難を乗り越えた選手に惜しみない拍手が送られた。 The athlete who overcame countless hardships with an indomitable spirit received thunderous applause.
2. 何度失敗しても不屈の姿勢を貫いた起業家の半生が映画化された。 The life story of an entrepreneur who maintained an unyielding attitude despite repeated failures was made into a film.
3. 彼女の不屈の意志が絶望的な状況でも周囲の人々を勇気づけた。 Her indomitable will gave courage to those around her even in the most hopeless situations.

Usage Guide

Context: biography, sports, literature, speech

Tone: admiring

Origin & History

Compound of 不 (not, un-) and 屈 (to bend, to yield, to submit). The character 屈 originally depicted crouching under a rock — submission or defeat. 不屈 thus means one who cannot be made to crouch — unbreakable.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical–Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal