只要功夫深，铁杵磨成针 - Zhictionary

Zhictionary

只要功夫深，铁杵磨成针

只要功夫深，鐵杵磨成針

zhǐyàogōngfushēn,tiěchǔmóchéngzhēn

If you work at it hard enough, you can grind an iron bar into a needle.
cf idiom 磨杵成针, to grind an iron bar down to a fine needle (idiom); fig. to persevere in a difficult task
to study diligently

Entry Composition

so long as; provided; if

skill
art
kung fu
labor
effort

old variant of 深 shēn

deep (lit. and fig.)

iron (metal)
arms
weapons
hard
strong
violent
unshakeable
determined
close
tight (slang)

pestle
to poke

to rub
to grind
to polish
to sharpen
to wear down
to die out
to waste time
to pester
to insist

to succeed
to finish
to complete
to accomplish
to become
to turn into
to be all right
OK!
one tenth

needle
pin
injection
stitch

classifiers: 根, 支

variant of 针 zhēn, needle

Related entries

kèkǔzuānyán

to study diligently

qínxuékǔliàn

to study diligently
to train assiduously

sùxīngyèmèi

to rise early and sleep late (idiom); to work hard
to study diligently
to burn the candle at both ends

móchǔchéngzhēn

to grind an iron bar down to a fine needle (idiom); fig. to persevere in a difficult task
to study diligently

móchuāntiěyàn

to grind one's way through an ink stone
to persevere in a difficult task (idiom)
to study diligently (idiom)