Read Mandarin
HSK 6 · Fluent

坚持的力量Jiānchí de lìliàngThe Power of Persistence

HSK 6 reading practice · 65 words · ~1 min
古人gǔrénshuō滴水穿石dī shuǐ chuān shí
The ancients said: "Dripping water pierces stone."
一滴yì dīshuǐde力量lìliàng微不足道wēibùzúdàodàn日复一日rì fù yí rìjìngnéng坚硬jiānyìngde石头shítou穿透chuāntòu
A single drop of water is insignificant, yet day after day it can pierce through solid stone.
学习xuéxí语言yǔyánshì如此rúcǐkàode不是bú shì一时yìshíde热情rèqíng而是ér shì长期chángqīde积累jīlěi
Learning a language is the same: it relies not on momentary enthusiasm, but on long-term accumulation.
每天měitiān进步jìnbù一点点yìdiǎndiǎn看似kànsì微小wēixiǎoquè终将zhōngjiāng汇聚huìjùchéng惊人jīngrénde变化biànhuà
Improving a little every day seems tiny, yet it will eventually converge into astonishing change.
所以suǒyǐqǐng相信xiāngxìn坚持jiānchíde力量lìliàng
So please believe in the power of persistence.
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Key words 生词

滴水穿石dī shuǐ chuān shídripping water pierces stone (idiom)
微不足道wēibùzúdàoinsignificant (idiom)
而是ér shìbut rather
积累jīlěiaccumulation
汇聚huìjùto converge; to gather
坚持jiānchíto persist

Grammar note 语法点

不是 A,而是 B — not A, but rather B

Corrects an assumption by replacing it: 靠的不是热情,而是积累. 而是 must introduce the true statement.

学好中文靠的不是天赋,而是坚持。 — Mastering Chinese relies not on talent, but on persistence.

Check yourself 小测验

1. What does “滴水穿石” illustrate?
2. Learning a language relies on...
3. Daily small progress will eventually...
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