Japanese meaning of 百折不撓
Reading:
ひゃくせつふとう (hyakusetsu futou)
English Translation:
Indomitable spirit; never giving up despite repeated failures
Meaning & Cultural Context
Meaning:
“Bent a hundred times yet unbowed” — indomitable perseverance that converts repeated setbacks into fuel.
幾度折られても挫けない、不屈のねばり強さ。失敗を糧に前進する姿勢。
Cultural Context:
A virtue in education, sports, and entrepreneurial stories in Japan. Often appears in school mottos and award citations.
教育・スポーツ・起業譚で称揚され、校訓や表彰文でもおなじみの美徳。
Grammar & Learning Points
Grammar Point
• Noun phrase with “の精神” or “の人” to describe unyielding perseverance despite repeated failures (“百折不撓の精神”).
• Common in motivational or historical contexts.
Trap for English Speakers
May be simplified as “persistent,” but it specifically emphasizes *many* failures and an unbreakable will.
Example
Basic Example
彼は百折不撓の精神で挑戦を続けた。
He kept challenging himself with an indomitable spirit.
Applied Example
何度倒されても立ち上がる、その姿は百折不撓だった。
No matter how many times he was knocked down, he rose again — never bending despite a hundred setbacks.