頑固 / 顽固
wángù
The English word stubborn is translated into Chinese as 頑固 / 顽固 (wángù). Wiktionary also lists 固執 / 固执 (gùzhí) and 濃重 / 浓重 (nóngzhòng).
Meaning: refusing to move or change one's opinion (adj)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 頑固 / 顽固 | wángù |
| 固執 / 固执 | gùzhí |
| 濃重 / 浓重 | nóngzhòng |
| 頑重 / 顽重 | wánzhòng |
| 執拗 / 执拗 | zhíniù |
The term is used to describe a person who refuses to move or change their opinion.
What does it mean word for word?
In 頑固 / 顽固, the character 頑 (wán) means 'stubborn' or 'unrefined' and 固 (gù) means 'firm' or 'solid'. In 固執 / 固执, 固 (gù) means 'firm' and 執 (zhí) means 'to hold' or 'to grasp'.
How do you pronounce it?
wángù
Did you know?
- In modern slang, calling someone 牛脾氣 (niú píqì) literally means they have a 'cow temper', which is a common way to say someone is stubborn.
- The character 頑 in 頑固 originally referred to a 'stony' or 'hard' texture, suggesting that a stubborn person has a heart like a rock.
- The term 頑 / 顽 is also used in the word 頑童 / 顽童, which refers to a 'naughty child', shifting the connotation from negative stubbornness to playful mischief.
Examples in context
- 他非常固执，不肯屈服。He is very stubborn and unwilling to compromise.
- 她的性格执拗，很难说服。Her personality is stubborn, and it's hard to convince her.
- 他很顽固，不肯听别人的建议。He is very stubborn and unwilling to listen to other people's advice.
- 他就是个死脑筋，从来不听别人的意见。He is such a stubborn person, he never listens to other people's opinions.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “stubborn” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
