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勤能补拙

qín néng bǔ zhuō
Diligence can make up for lack of talent.

Diligence can compensate for clumsiness.

Hard work and perseverance can overcome natural shortcomings...

Hard work and perseverance can overcome natural shortcomings or lack of skill. It encourages people not to give up simply because they feel less gifted than others.

This saying reflects the Confucian and broadly East Asian value placed on effort and self-improvement over innate talent. It is often taught to students and young professionals as a moral lesson.

Someone might say this when encouraging a friend who feels they are not naturally talented at something, or when praising someone who succeeded through hard work rather than brilliance.

Chinese culture emphasizes the virtue of industriousness as a path to moral and practical success. This saying reassures people that their fate is in their own hands, and it also serves as a gentle rebuke to those who make excuses for laziness.

#wisdom #humility #success

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