Never Back Down in chinese.. Can you help me? :)

[NeverBackDown]

chinese is so hard ... I dont know which one to choose..

[Tiana]

chinese is so hard ...   I dont know which one to choose.. 

 

Never give up!

[Altair]

"Never back down" has a very specific meaning and is different from "never give up."  I would have no problem if I saw someone with the latter as a tattoo, but would have some reservations about any person I saw with the former.

 

If you were having problems with your boss at work or with a new illness and were nearing dispair, I might say: "Don't give up" or "Hang in there."  I would not say "don't back down."

 

The good side of "never back down" means never yield to intimidation; however, the negative side comes close to implying that you always want to solve all confrontations with a fight and can never admit to error.  This depends on your personal philosophy as to what is important to stress.

 

To me, "never give up" means to persist in your goals, whatever they may be, and has no negative connotations.

 

I am no way near to being fluent in Chinese, but each of the suggested phrases also have a different range of meanings.  Here are some paraphrases that make make the differences in meaning clearer:

 

1. 永不放棄

"Keep at it!

 

2. 永不言敗

Never consider defeat to be an option!

 

3. 永不退縮

Never flinch (from difficulty or danger)!  Be unflinching!

 

4. 百折不撓

Be undaunted by setbacks and never flinch from your goal!  Be dauntless!

 

I prefer the more general meaning of 1 and 4.  Between 1 and 4, I would prefer 4, since it has a clear literary meaning and is more complete by itself.  The meaning of no. 1 is probably less clear than in English, since it suggests some particular thing that is not to be given up.  I also think it is the most noble sentiment of the four options.

[NeverBackDown]

I like the second one. First one is like "keep doing it"... if you're a boss you can tell this to your workers  

Second one is like a tattoo for a tough guy I like it

Third is nah... not very cool as a tattoo words

And forth is not bad as well, im not english so it's hard to understand for me the whole meaning, when i try to translate it word by word... god help... can u write it in easier way? simplified

[Chris Two Times]

 Not in the "never back down from a fight" sense, but more in a "never gonna give you up" sense:

When I read it, this was my first thought: 

 

D'oh! Rickrolled!

 

Warm regards,

Chris Two Times

[Lu]

4. 百折不撓

Be undaunted by setbacks and never flinch from your goal! Be dauntless!

In simpler language, it's a bit like 'Keep going towards your goal, even if many things get in the way.' As you see, there is no precise translation, but that is the sentiment. I think of the four options, this is the best one.

[LiMo]

I have no real preference but No.4 (according to my dictionary) is a real Chinese idiom so perhaps, if it matters to you, Chinese people will be impressed with what may be considered as authentic Chinese.

 

It's difficult trying to get a translation into Chinese for something that sounds cool in English. Something that sounds cool in Chinese, when "translated" into English might not sound very cool at all, unless it is further translated to make it sound cool. Your best bet would be to find a native speaker (that's probably what you're here for, sorry if we've disappointed so far) and get them to translate it into something that means "never back down" and sounds cool in Chinese, then accept that it means never back down and ignore other peoples translations because in both general meaning and level of "cool-soundingness" that is the closest you can get. 

 

Ok, I lied a little, I prefer No.1

 

Good luck