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Yojijukugo

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.
日本語で読む
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.
日本語で読む
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”).<br>• Common in motivational or historical contexts.
日本語で読む
• 何度失敗してもくじけない様子を表す「〜の精神」「〜の人」（例：「百折不撓の精神」）。<br>• 励ましや歴史上の人物の描写でよく用いられる。

Trap for English Speakers

May be simplified as “persistent,” but it specifically emphasizes *many* failures and an unbreakable will.
日本語で読む
単なる粘り強さではなく、何度もの失敗を経ても意志が折れないことを強調する点に注意。

Example

Example 1Basic Example

  1. 彼は百折不撓の精神で挑戦を続けた。

    He kept challenging himself with an indomitable spirit.

Example 2Applied Example

  1. 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.

Quick check

Meaning

What does 「百折不撓」 mean?

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