穷当益坚 qióngdāngyìjiān stronger in adversity Origin Definitions Defs Strokes Stroke Words Sentences Sents 穷 窮 qióng hard-pressed in a difficult situation; at a dead end; cornered (as in 穷寇 qióngkòu or 穷途末路 qióngtúmòlù)当 當 dāng adverb should Ought to; should益 yì adverb more increasingly; more; all the more; used to indicate a deepening degree坚 堅 jiān adjectiveverb resolute firmly; resolutely; unyielding; without shaking