硬（是）……
doggedly, by sheer will, against all odds; (with 要, 不) obstinately
Structure
主语 ＋ 硬是 ＋ 动词短语 · 主语 ＋ 硬 ＋ 要／不／把…
What it means
硬 (hard) as an adverb means pushing through whatever stands in the way: 硬是 + verb, achieved by sheer stubborn effort; 硬要／硬不, obstinately; 硬把, by force.
How it is built
Subject + 硬是 + verb phrase: 他硬是在山里撑了十天 (He somehow held out in the mountains for ten days). Or 硬 + 要／不／把: 硬要去, 硬不承认, 他硬把钱塞给了我.
When to use it
硬是 usually admires an achievement; 硬要／硬不 is usually a complaint about someone who won't be moved. 偏 (偏要去) stresses going against what others want or expect; 硬 stresses force and stubbornness. Spoken and narrative, common in news features.
Watch out
No 地: ✗他硬是地撑了十天 ✓他硬是撑了十天. In south-western speech 硬是 can just mean “really” (这个菜硬是好吃); don't read stubbornness into that.
Examples
没有食物，也没有信号，他硬是在山里撑了十天。
With no food and no signal, he somehow held out in the mountains for ten days.
雪有半米深，救援队员硬是一步一步把他背下了山。
The snow was half a metre deep, but the rescuers carried him down the mountain on their backs, one step at a time.
天气预报说有暴雨，他硬要进山，谁也劝不住。
The forecast said there would be a rainstorm, but he insisted on going into the mountains and nobody could talk him out of it.
Learn this in Lesson 145 · HSK 7–9: 鳌太线 (The Aotai trail)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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