dõng bất quá thiên, cường bất quá lý
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Force stops short of heaven, stubbornness short of reason — neither might nor obstinacy outlasts what's right.
Literally: boldness not past heaven, strength not past principle
Sources & notes
Discovered via Tục ngữ, cổ ngữ, gia ngôn (Huỳnh Tịnh Của, 1897; public domain, via vi.wikisource); retrieved 2026-08-01. Source: source ↗ Attested in Tục ngữ, cổ ngữ, gia ngôn (Huỳnh Tịnh Của, 1897). Definition is an original editorial synthesis, not copied from the source.
Common questions
What does “dõng bất quá thiên, cường bất quá lý” mean?
Force stops short of heaven, stubbornness short of reason — neither might nor obstinacy outlasts what's right. Literally: boldness not past heaven, strength not past principle
Is “dõng bất quá thiên, cường bất quá lý” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.