持之以恒chí zhī yǐ héngto pursue unremittingly (idiom); to persevere
持之以恒 (chí zhī yǐ héng) means to pursue something unremittingly, or to persevere. Speakers can use it to describe keeping up an effort such as study, exercise, or practice day after day without giving up, so that steady work over a long time leads to progress.
What does 持之以恒 mean?
- 1.
to pursue unremittingly (idiom); to persevereidiom
- Figurative meaning
- To pursue unremittingly; to persevere.
What do the characters in 持之以恒 mean?
- 持to persevere
- 之him/her/it
- 以by means of
- 恒constant
Where does 持之以恒 come from?
No attested origin story
How do you use 持之以恒?
持之以恒 can describe sticking with a habit or goal, and it can follow 只要 or 必须, as in 学习要持之以恒.
What are some examples of 持之以恒 in a sentence?
学习汉语要持之以恒。
Xuéxí Hànyǔ yào chí zhī yǐ héng.
Learning Chinese takes perseverance.
只要持之以恒，你的身体会越来越好。
Zhǐyào chí zhī yǐ héng, nǐ de shēntǐ huì yuè lái yuè hǎo.
As long as you persevere, your health will get better and better.
他每天跑步，一直持之以恒。
Tā měitiān pǎobù, yìzhí chí zhī yǐ héng.
He runs every day and has always kept it up.
How is 持之以恒 used in a conversation?
- Speaker A:
你的中文进步真快！
Nǐ de Zhōngwén jìnbù zhēn kuài!
Your Chinese has improved so fast!
- Speaker B:
我每天都练习半个小时。
Wǒ měitiān dōu liànxí bàn ge xiǎoshí.
I practice for half an hour every day.
- Speaker A:
持之以恒真不容易。
Chí zhī yǐ héng zhēn bù róngyì.
Persevering really isn't easy.
- Speaker B:
是啊，可是很有用。
Shì a, kěshì hěn yǒuyòng.
Yes, but it really helps.
Can you use 持之以恒 correctly?
0 of 3 answeredWhat should you learn next?
- Free HSK 3 level testSee which HSK 3.0 level your vocabulary matches.
- HSK 7–9 word listEvery word at this level, with examples.
- HSK 3.0 guideHow the nine levels and three bands work.
Related idioms
- 井底之蛙jǐng dǐ zhī wāa person of limited outlook and experienceHSK 7–9
- 全力以赴quán lì yǐ fùto make an all-out effortHSK 7–9
- 后顾之忧hòu gù zhī yōufears of trouble in the rear (idiom); family worries (obstructing freedom of action)HSK 7–9
- 当务之急dāng wù zhī jí(idiom) top priority job; a matter of the greatest urgencyHSK 7–9
- 来之不易lái zhī bú yì(idiom) hard to come by; not easily obtainedHSK 7–9
- 坚持不懈jiān chí bù xiè(idiom) to persevere unremittingly; to keep going until the endNot on the HSK 3.0 syllabus
Browse every entry in the Chinese idioms dictionary.
English glosses on this page are adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG (snapshot 2026-10-23), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Glosses were edited for learners.