有志者事竟成
yǒu zhì zhě shì jìng chéng
where there’s a will, there’s a way
Character by character
有yǒu
have
have
志zhì
will
will
者zhě
person
person
事shì
thing
thing
竟jìng
in the end
in the end
成chéng
succeed
succeed
Example
有志者事竟成，只要坚持，你一定能做到。
Where there’s a will there’s a way — keep going and you’ll make it.
Tone: positive (praise).
Usage and origin
From 《后汉书》: Emperor Guangwu praising General Geng Yan for achieving a plan others thought impossible.
Learn it in context
This idiom and thousands more are in Learn Chinese with Bao, with audio, pinyin and drills that make them stick.
Start the course free →