坚持
jiānchí · HSK 3
persist in
💪 坚持 = 坚 (firm/solid) + 持 (hold/grasp): firmly hold to it
坚 means solid or firm (think 坚强 = strong); 持 means to hold or maintain (as in 支持 = support). Together: to firmly hold on — to persist or insist on something without letting go.
持 — hand 扌 + temple 寺 (phonetic)
持 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The hand radical 扌 carries the meaning 'to hold' or 'grasp', while 寺 supplies the sound (it once read close to chí). Originally depicting a hand holding something firmly, it broadened to mean 'maintain', 'support', or 'keep' over time.