Chengyus for NBA Champion Lebron James

Lebron James and the Miami Heat won the NBA Championship.

We’re guessing Lebron currently has other priorities outside of studying Chinese.  We don’t!

Let’s  look today at three chengyu’s which are especially pertinent to Lebron as he celebrates his first ring.

1. 坚持不懈 (jiān chí bù xiè )

坚持 (jiān chí): persevere, persist
不 (bù): not
懈 (xiè): careless, casual

This chengyu means somebody who is persistent or unremitting in their pursuit of a goal.  To keep “plugging away” in chase of an ultimate prize.  It may have taken him nine full seasons, but even under unrelenting scrutiny from the media and public at large, he managed to break through.

Example A

“意大利坚持不懈终转运 时隔12年再入欧洲杯4强“

yì dà lì jiān chí bù xiè zhōng zhuǎn yùn shí gé 12 nián zài rù ōu zhōu bēi 4 qiáng

Italy perseveres, finally progresses; after 12 years, enters final 4 in European Cup

Example B

“坚持不懈地深入学习实践科学发展观进一步提高经济发展“

jiān chí bù xiè de shēn rù xué xí shí jiàn kē xué fā zhǎn guān jìn yī bù tí gāo jīng jì fā zhǎn

Persevere in deepening study of practical scientific development to further improve economic development

2.  有志者事竟成 (yǒu zhì zhě shì jìng chéng)

有 (yǒu): to have, posess
志 (zhì): ambition, will (as in 志向- zhì xiàng- ambition)
者 (zhě): one who; -ist, -er
事 (shì): matter, thing
竟 (jìng): in the end, finally (as in 究竟- jiù jìng- after all)
成 (chéng): succeed

The corresponding English here is “where there’s a will, there’s a way”.  For somebody with a willing mind, nothing is impossible.  Success comes to those with strong ambition.

 Example A

“与从未受过正规编程教育的instagram创始人Kevin Systrom一样，企业家Mick Hagen的经历也告诉我们，有志者事竟成“

yǔ cóng wèi shòu guò zhèng guī biān chéng jiào yù de instagram chuàng shǐ rén Kevin Systrom yī yàng, entrepreneur Mick Hagen de jīnglì yě gào su wǒ men, yǒu zhì zhě shì jìng chéng

As with founder of Instagram Kevin Systrom, who never received any formal programming training, entrepreneur Mick Hagen’s experience shows us “where there’s a will, there’s a way“

Example B

“俗话说“有志者事竟成”，但真正开始干的时候，却不是那么容易“

súhuà shuō “yǒuzhì zhě shì jìng chéng”, dàn zhēnzhèng kāishǐ gàn de shíhou, què bùshì nàme róngyì

As the saying goes “where there’s a will, there’s a way“, but when trying to implement, it is actually quite difficult

3.  不择手段 (bù zé shǒu duàn)

不 (bù): not
择 (zé): select, choose (as in 选择- xuǎn zé- choose)
手段 (shǒu duàn): proper method, measure

“The man is a traitor!  After single-handedly lifting Cleveland from life support to among the NBA’s elite, he ditches his hometown to go rollick with some hotshots in Miami.”  Ok, calm down Cavs fans, we get your point; by fair means or foul, Lebron got what he wanted.  This chengyu is used to describe somebody who resorts to any means to achieve their own personal goals.  In the spirit of non-partisan analysis, we had to include this one!

Example A

“哈特决心改变英格兰点球运气 为胜利会不择手段“

hā tè juéxīn gǎibiàn yīnggélán diǎn qiú yùnqì wéi shènglì huì bù zé shǒu duàn

Hart determined to change England’s penalty fortunes, will stop at nothing to win

Example B

“奥巴马为竞选不择手段 被指故意泄密显”政绩““

ao bā mǎ wèi jìng xuǎn bù zé shǒu duàn beī zhǐ gù yì xiè mì xiǎn” zhèng jì “

Obama will stop at nothing for campaign, accused of intentionally leaking “political track record”

What other athletes should brush up on their Chinese chengyus?

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