shuǐdīshíchuān: 水滴石穿 - Dripping water penetrates stone; Perseverance prevails

• Keywords: shuǐdīshíchuān, 水滴石穿, Chinese proverb perseverance, dripping water penetrates stone, Chinese idiom for persistence, constant effort, never give up Chinese, learn Chinese chengyu, tenacity, patience.
• Summary: The Chinese proverb 水滴石穿 (shuǐ dī shí chuān), literally translating to “dripping water penetrates stone,” is a powerful idiom embodying the value of perseverance and constant effort. It teaches that even small, consistent actions can overcome the greatest obstacles over time. This page explores the meaning, cultural origins, and practical usage of this inspiring chengyu, providing a deep dive for anyone looking to understand the Chinese mindset towards achieving long-term goals.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): shuǐ dī shí chuān
• Part of Speech: Chengyu (成语) - Chinese Idiom/Proverb
• HSK Level: N/A (but commonly used and recognized)
• Concise Definition: Constant, persistent effort can overcome any difficulty.
• In a Nutshell: Imagine a single drop of water falling on a large, hard boulder. One drop does nothing. A thousand drops do nothing. But over many years, millions of drops falling on the exact same spot will eventually wear a hole right through the stone. That's the essence of `水滴石穿`. It’s not about one heroic effort, but about the incredible power of small, consistent actions repeated over a long period. It’s the ultimate “slow and steady wins the race” philosophy, celebrating patience and tenacity.

• 水 (shuǐ): Water. One of the most basic and fundamental characters, a pictograph of flowing water.
• 滴 (dī): A drop (of liquid); to drip. The three-dot radical on the left (氵) is a form of the character for 'water'. The right side (啇) provides the phonetic sound.
• 石 (shí): Stone; rock. A simple pictograph representing a rock at the foot of a cliff.
• 穿 (chuān): To penetrate; to pierce through; to wear (as in clothing). The character's ancient form depicts a 'tooth' (牙) going through a 'hole' (穴), vividly illustrating the idea of passing through something.
• How they combine: The characters literally assemble into the phrase “Water Drops (水滴) Penetrate Stone (石穿)”. The meaning is both literal—as seen in nature—and deeply metaphorical, representing the core theme of perseverance.

The idiom `水滴石穿` is deeply ingrained in the Chinese cultural psyche, reflecting a profound respect for diligence (勤奋 - qínfèn), willpower (毅力 - yìlì), and the ability to endure hardship (吃苦 - chīkǔ). The most famous origin story comes from the Song Dynasty. An official named Zhang Guiya (张乖崖) discovered a minor manager stealing a single copper coin from the treasury each day. When confronted, the manager was dismissive, saying, “It's just one coin, what can you do about it?” Zhang Guiya had him executed, proclaiming, “一日一钱，千日千钱，绳锯木断，水滴石穿” (yī rì yī qián, qiān rì qiān qián, shéng jù mù duàn, shuǐ dī shí chuān), which means “One coin a day is a thousand coins in a thousand days. A rope can saw wood apart, and dripping water can penetrate stone.” The story illustrates that small, repeated actions—whether for good or bad—lead to significant consequences. Comparison to Western Concepts: A close Western equivalent is “Rome wasn't built in a day.” Both idioms speak to the time required for great achievements. However, `水滴石穿` has a more personal and granular focus. It emphasizes the *method*—the small, repeated, focused action—as the agent of change against a seemingly insurmountable and static obstacle. “Rome wasn't built in a day” often refers to large-scale, complex projects. `水滴石穿` is the quiet, relentless effort of an individual grinding away at a problem, long after others would have given up.

`水滴石穿` is a very common and highly positive idiom. You will see it frequently in various contexts:

• Education and Motivation: This is its most common habitat. Teachers use it to encourage students to study a little every day. Motivational posters in schools and offices often feature these four characters. It's a go-to phrase for telling someone not to give up on a difficult, long-term goal.
• Self-Improvement: People use it to describe their personal journeys, such as learning a musical instrument, mastering a language, getting in shape, or building a business from scratch. It perfectly captures the feeling of slow but steady progress.
• Formal Speeches: Leaders and speakers might use `水滴石穿` to praise a team's long-term efforts or to inspire an audience to commit to a difficult but worthy cause.

It is almost always positive and carries a tone of admiration for the perseverance it describes. It's suitable for both formal and informal situations.

• Example 1:
  • 学习外语没有什么捷径，唯有水滴石穿，持之以恒。
  • Pinyin: Xuéxí wàiyǔ méiyǒu shéme jiéjìng, wéiyǒu shuǐ dī shí chuān, chí zhī yǐ héng.
  • English: There are no shortcuts in learning a foreign language; only through persistent, constant effort like dripping water penetrating stone can you succeed.
  • Analysis: A classic example connecting the idiom to the long, slow process of language acquisition. It sets a realistic expectation of hard work.
• Example 2:
  • 他靠着水滴石穿的毅力，每天练习，最终成为了世界冠军。
  • Pinyin: Tā kàozhe shuǐ dī shí chuān de yìlì, měitiān liànxí, zuìzhōng chéngwéi le shìjiè guànjūn.
  • English: Relying on the perseverance of “dripping water penetrating stone,” he practiced every day and eventually became the world champion.
  • Analysis: Here, `水滴石穿` is used to describe the *type* of perseverance (`毅力` - yìlì) that leads to great success.
• Example 3:
  • 我们的公司能有今天的成就，不是靠运气，而是全体员工水滴石穿的结果。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen de gōngsī néng yǒu jīntiān de chéngjiù, bùshì kào yùnqì, érshì quántǐ yuángōng shuǐ dī shí chuān de jiéguǒ.
  • English: Our company's success today isn't due to luck, but is the result of the entire staff's persistent, long-term efforts.
  • Analysis: This sentence applies the individual concept of `水滴石穿` to a collective group, emphasizing a culture of diligence.
• Example 4:
  • 别小看每天只记五个单词，只要坚持下去，水滴石穿，一年后你的词汇量会非常惊人。
  • Pinyin: Bié xiǎokàn měitiān zhǐ jì wǔ gè dāncí, zhǐyào jiānchí xiàqù, shuǐ dī shí chuān, yī nián hòu nǐ de cíhuì liàng huì fēicháng jīngrén.
  • English: Don't look down on memorizing just five words a day. As long as you stick with it, with persistence, your vocabulary will be amazing after a year.
  • Analysis: This is a perfect motivational use of the idiom, showing how small, seemingly insignificant daily actions accumulate into a massive result.
• Example 5:
  • 解决这个根深蒂固的社会问题需要水滴石穿的功夫。
  • Pinyin: Jiějué zhège gēnshēndìgù de shèhuì wèntí xūyào shuǐ dī shí chuān de gōngfū.
  • English: Solving this deep-rooted social problem requires the kind of effort that is patient and persistent.
  • Analysis: `功夫 (gōngfū)` here doesn't mean “kung fu” but rather “effort” or “work”. The sentence implies that the solution won't be quick, but will require a long, sustained campaign.
• Example 6:
  • 在科学研究中，水滴石穿的精神至关重要。
  • Pinyin: Zài kēxué yánjiū zhōng, shuǐ dī shí chuān de jīngshén zhì guān zhòngyào.
  • English: In scientific research, the spirit of “dripping water penetrates stone” is critically important.
  • Analysis: `精神 (jīngshén)` means “spirit” or “mindset”. This highlights that `水滴石穿` is not just an action but a valued mentality.
• Example 7:
  • 大家都认为他不可能成功，但他用行动证明了水滴石穿的道理。
  • Pinyin: Dàjiā dōu rènwéi tā bù kěnéng chénggōng, dàn tā yòng xíngdòng zhèngmíngle shuǐ dī shí chuān de dàolǐ.
  • English: Everyone thought he couldn't possibly succeed, but he used his actions to prove the principle of “dripping water penetrates stone”.
  • Analysis: This shows the idiom being used as a “principle” or “truth” (`道理` - dàolǐ) that can be proven.
• Example 8:
  • 养成一个好习惯的过程就是水滴石穿，需要时间和耐心。
  • Pinyin: Yǎngchéng yīgè hǎo xíguàn de guòchéng jiùshì shuǐ dī shí chuān, xūyào shíjiān hé nàixīn.
  • English: The process of forming a good habit is exactly like “dripping water penetrating stone”; it requires time and patience.
  • Analysis: A great metaphorical use, comparing the abstract process of habit formation to the concrete image of the idiom.
• Example 9:
  • 这种水滴石穿的侵蚀作用造就了壮丽的峡谷景观。
  • Pinyin: Zhè zhǒng shuǐ dī shí chuān de qīnshí zuòyòng zàojiùle zhuànglì de xiágǔ jǐngguān.
  • English: This kind of “dripping water penetrates stone” erosion created the magnificent canyon landscape.
  • Analysis: This is a rare literal usage of the idiom, referring to the actual geological process of erosion. It shows the idiom's direct link to the natural world.
• Example 10:
  • 面对巨大的困难，我们不能退缩，要相信水滴石穿的力量。
  • Pinyin: Miànduì jùdà de kùnnán, wǒmen bùnéng tuìsuō, yào xiāngxìn shuǐ dī shí chuān de lìliàng.
  • English: When facing enormous difficulties, we cannot retreat; we must believe in the power of perseverance.
  • Analysis: The idiom is framed as a “power” or “force” (`力量` - lìliàng) that can be believed in, giving it an almost philosophical weight.

• Long-Term Only: Do not use `水滴石穿` for short-term tasks or quick bursts of effort. It is exclusively for goals that require a long period of sustained work. You wouldn't use it to describe cramming for a test overnight.
  • Incorrect: 他水滴石穿地努力了一个晚上，终于完成了报告。 (He worked persistently for one night and finally finished the report.)
  • Reason: The timescale is too short. `水滴石穿` implies months, years, or even a lifetime of effort.
• Process, Not Event: The idiom emphasizes the process of repeated, small actions, not a single, decisive breakthrough.
  • Incorrect: 他的那个绝妙的想法真是水滴石穿，一下子解决了所有问题。(His brilliant idea was like “dripping water penetrating stone” and solved all the problems at once.)
  • Reason: This is wrong because it attributes the success to a single event (the idea), not a long process of effort.
• “False Friend” Alert: “A Drop in the Bucket”
  • English speakers might mistakenly connect `水滴石穿` with the English idiom “a drop in the bucket.” They are polar opposites.
  • “A drop in the bucket” means an amount is so small it's insignificant and has no effect. (e.g., “My $10 donation is just a drop in the bucket for the charity.”)
  • `水滴石穿` means that a small action, when repeated, has a massive and decisive effect. It is the ultimate testament to the power of the seemingly insignificant.

• 愚公移山 (yú gōng yí shān): “The Foolish Old Man Moves the Mountains.” Another famous chengyu about achieving the impossible through sheer persistence. `愚公移山` often implies tackling a single, massive task, while `水滴石穿` is more about a gradual, erosive process.
• 铁杵磨成针 (tiě chǔ mó chéng zhēn): “Grinding an iron pestle/rod into a needle.” Almost a perfect synonym for `水滴石穿`, it comes from a story about the poet Li Bai being inspired by seeing an old woman patiently grinding a large iron rod to make a needle.
• 坚持不懈 (jiān chí bù xiè): To persevere unremittingly. This is a more direct, non-metaphorical way to express the idea of persistence.
• 持之以恒 (chí zhī yǐ héng): To pursue with perseverance and constancy. Another formal, non-metaphorical term for sticking with something over the long haul.
• 锲而不舍 (qiè ér bù shě): To chip away and not give up. It emphasizes the “not giving up” aspect of perseverance. From the philosopher Xunzi.
• 半途而废 (bàn tú ér fèi): To give up halfway. This is the direct antonym to the spirit of `水滴石穿`. It describes someone who starts a task but lacks the perseverance to finish it.
• 毅力 (yìlì): The noun for willpower, stamina, or perseverance. `水滴石穿` is the perfect illustration of what `毅力` looks like in action.