zì自selfqiáng强strengthenbù不notxī息rest
Strive ceaselessly to better oneself.
Literal meaning
self (自) — strengthen (强) — not (不) — rest (息)
Origin
Book of Changes (《易经·乾卦》): 天行健，君子以自强不息 — "Heaven moves vigorously; the gentleman strengthens himself without rest." The line is one of the most cited fragments of the Yijing in modern Chinese — it's the official motto of Tsinghua University (paired with 厚德载物 "hold the world with broad virtue"), and shows up across speeches, plaques, and editorial writing about national or personal resilience.
Examples
Tā他cóng从xiǎo小pín贫kùn困，dàn但zì自qiáng强bù不xī息，zuì最zhōng终chéng成wéi为zhī知míng名xué学zhě者。
He grew up poor, but strove ceaselessly, and became a renowned scholar.
Wǒ我men们yào要péi培yǎng养zì自qiáng强bù不xī息de的jīng精shén神。
We need to cultivate the spirit of self-improvement.
Usage & nuances
High register — fits speeches, mottos, editorials. Claiming it about yourself sounds grandiose; works better as praise for others or as a collective aspiration (我们要…).
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