<blockquote>
<p>Question: What is an accurate translation of 自立自强?
I expect its precise meaning is simply the sum of its parts</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Yes, it is simply the sum of its parts</p>
<p>自立 - hold oneself up = self-reliance</p>
<p>自强 - strengthen oneself = self-strengthen</p>
<p>If you are independent, you wouldn't need to beg for other's help</p>
<p>If you are strong, you wouldn't be afraid of other's hinder or assault</p>
<p><em>It fit perfectly into China's nationalistic ideal</em></p>
<blockquote>
<p>自立自強 自立自强 [zi4 li4 zi4 qiang2] /to strive for self-improvement</p>
</blockquote>
<p>To make oneself more self-reliant and stronger is to improve oneself</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-03T02:11:23.663Z
2020-07-03T10:15:19.383Z
2020-07-03T10:15:19.383Z
Tang Ho
<p>I encountered the sentence 儿子说，他下定决心要<strong>自立自强</strong> in the <a href="https://www.coursera.org/learn/chinese-for-hsk-6" rel="nofollow noreferrer">HSK6 Coursera course</a>; <a href="https://www.coursera.org/learn/chinese-for-hsk-6/home/week/4" rel="nofollow noreferrer">week 4</a> 第16课.  However, CC-CEDICT's entry for <a href="https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&amp;wdrst=0&amp;wdqb=%E8%87%AA%E7%AB%8B%E8%87%AA%E5%BC%BA" rel="nofollow noreferrer">自立自强</a> is:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>自立自強 自立自强 [zi4 li4 zi4 qiang2] /to strive for self-improvement/</p>
</blockquote>
<p>But some example sentences (<a href="http://youdao.com/example/%E8%87%AA%E7%AB%8B%E8%87%AA%E5%BC%BA" rel="nofollow noreferrer">YouDao</a>; <a href="http://www.jukuu.com/search.php?q=%E8%87%AA%E7%AB%8B%E8%87%AA%E5%BC%BA" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Jukuu</a>) translate it to &quot;self-reliance&quot;, which gives me the impression that CC-CEDICT's definition is inaccurate.  E.g.:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>在家庭中，孩子从小就被灌输自立自强的观念。<br />
In the household, young kids are imbued with concept of self-reliance.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><strong>Question</strong>: What is an accurate translation of 自立自强?</p>
<p>I expect its precise meaning is simply the sum of its parts: &quot;self-reliance 自立 and self-improvement 自强&quot;, but maybe there's more to this (e.g., multiple meanings).</p>

<meaning>
What is an accurate translation of 自立自强?
# What is an accurate translation of 自立自强?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-07-03)

I encountered the sentence 儿子说，他下定决心要**自立自强** in the [HSK6 Coursera course](https://www.coursera.org/learn/chinese-for-hsk-6); [week 4](https://www.coursera.org/learn/chinese-for-hsk-6/home/week/4) 第16课. However, CC-CEDICT's entry for [自立自强](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdrst=0&wdqb=%E8%87%AA%E7%AB%8B%E8%87%AA%E5%BC%BA) is:

> 自立自強 自立自强 [zi4 li4 zi4 qiang2] /to strive for self-improvement/

But some example sentences ([YouDao](http://youdao.com/example/%E8%87%AA%E7%AB%8B%E8%87%AA%E5%BC%BA); [Jukuu](http://www.jukuu.com/search.php?q=%E8%87%AA%E7%AB%8B%E8%87%AA%E5%BC%BA)) translate it to "self-reliance", which gives me the impression that CC-CEDICT's definition is inaccurate. E.g.:

> 在家庭中，孩子从小就被灌输自立自强的观念。  
> In the household, young kids are imbued with concept of self-reliance.

**Question**: What is an accurate translation of 自立自强?

I expect its precise meaning is simply the sum of its parts: "self-reliance 自立 and self-improvement 自强", but maybe there's more to this (e.g., multiple meanings).

**Tags:** meaning


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-07-03. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

> Question: What is an accurate translation of 自立自强?
> I expect its precise meaning is simply the sum of its parts

Yes, it is simply the sum of its parts

自立 - hold oneself up = self-reliance

自强 - strengthen oneself = self-strengthen

If you are independent, you wouldn't need to beg for other's help

If you are strong, you wouldn't be afraid of other's hinder or assault

*It fit perfectly into China's nationalistic ideal*

> 自立自強 自立自强 [zi4 li4 zi4 qiang2] /to strive for self-improvement

To make oneself more self-reliant and stronger is to improve oneself


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