粘り強い

• Reading: ねばりづよい
• Romaji: nebaritsuyoi
• Kanji breakdown: 粘 (nen/neba) — sticky, viscous; 強 (kyō/tsuyoi) — strong, powerful
• Pronunciation: /ne̞baɾid͡zɯjo̞i/

Meaning

Tenacious; persistent; persevering. Describes the quality of not giving up despite obstacles or repeated setbacks.

An i-adjective combining the idea of stickiness (粘り) with strength (強い). While 根強い describes something externally entrenched, 粘り強い focuses on a person's internal drive to keep going. Common in contexts of negotiation, athletic endeavour, and academic effort.

Examples

1. 粘り強い交渉の末、ようやく両者は合意に達した。 After tenacious negotiations, the two parties finally reached an agreement.
2. 何度失敗しても粘り強く挑戦し続ける姿勢が大切だ。 It's important to maintain a persistent attitude and keep trying no matter how many times you fail.
3. 彼女の粘り強い研究がついに画期的な発見につながった。 Her persevering research finally led to a groundbreaking discovery.

Usage Guide

Context: sports, business, academics, self-improvement

Tone: positive

Origin & History

Compound of 粘り (stickiness, tenacity — from the verb 粘る, to be sticky or persistent) and 強い (strong). Evokes the persistence of something adhesive that refuses to let go.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal