Four-character idioms that help elementary schoolers not give up: words that spark the power to keep trying
To children who strive with a spirit of never giving up, we want to convey important messages through four-character idioms.
Many teachers and parents may feel the same way.
In this article, we introduce four-character idioms that are easy for elementary school students to understand and perfect for fostering motivation and a positive mindset.
These expressions can be used in a variety of situations—daily life, study, club activities, and more—so please find the words that will resonate with elementary school children according to their environment!
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Four-character idioms that support elementary schoolers’ hearts and never give up! Words that inspire the power to try (51–60)
giving it your all5
In baseball, when a pitcher throws the ball with all their strength, it’s called “zenryoku-tōkyū,” meaning a full-power pitch.
In other words, it means facing something by using all of your strength.
Don’t you also have moments when you need to give it your all? For example, before a sports match or a test.
You cut back on time for games or videos to practice or study, right? When we see that kind of dedication, we say, “That’s zenryoku-tōkyū.” Putting your whole heart into something and aiming higher is truly wonderful.
coexistence and mutual prosperity5
Living and succeeding by helping one another is called “coexistence and mutual prosperity.” It can be difficult in situations where there are winners and losers, but it’s wonderful when everyone can get along and work hard together.
That way, we can inspire each other, and by learning ways of thinking we ourselves don’t have, we may even increase our chances of success.
Instead of thinking only about yourself, please try to spend your days with kindness, keeping others in mind as well.
I’m sure that, in the end, it will come back around and benefit you too.
Stay true to your original intention.5
If you have goals and are working hard, be sure to remember this phrase.
Seeing through what you decided at the beginning to the very end—that is shoshi-kantetsu (carrying out one’s original intention).
If you’ve decided, “I’ll be top of the class on the test!” or “I’ll become a baseball player!”, then follow through to the end! When you feel you’re not getting closer to your goal, you might be tempted to just give up.
In moments when you feel like you’re about to lose to yourself, recall the four-character idiom shoshi-kantetsu and take a moment to reconsider why you’re pursuing that goal in the first place.
strenuous effort; hard-fought struggle5
It’s a four-character idiom that expresses fighting with every ounce of strength and mustering the courage to face difficulties.
“Rikisen” conveys the state of battling with full force, while “funtō” conveys the act of rousing one’s spirit to confront challenges.
By combining these two stances of confrontation, the expression emphasizes a sense of power.
Another key point is that it contains two characters related to combat, clearly conveying the fact of standing up to a challenge.
Depending on how you pair it with your goal, you can strongly convey your own mindset.
Four-character idioms that support elementary schoolers’ hearts and never give up! Words that spark the power to try hard (61–70)
Grand unity5
This is a four-character idiom that means different groups or parties overcome their differences, join forces, and unite for a common purpose.
Because of the Daidō Danketsu (Great Unity) movement in mid-Meiji Japan, the term also carries a strong political nuance.
Still, the idea of a large number of people advancing toward a goal conveys a sense of strength.
Moving forward together toward a major objective also entails seeking understanding from those around you, and within this brief phrase you can feel the resolve to win their acceptance.
Since the word presupposes many people combining their strength, it clearly conveys the sense of striving toward a grand ideal.
majestic and dignified5
Ifu Dodo (Pomp and Circumstance) refers to a very dignified, imposing appearance.
Imagine a small child standing before everyone, facing straight ahead with their back straight.
Ifu Dodo is basically a compliment, so if someone says, “You were ifu dodo,” they’re telling you, “You looked really cool!” That feels great, doesn’t it? When we’re anxious or scared, we tend to hunch our backs and look down, but that’s exactly when we should stand with a majestic, confident bearing—so our spirit doesn’t lose.
complete combustion5
We call giving your all until the very end “kanzen-nenshō” (complete combustion).
You use it when you’ve put every bit of your strength into something.
For example, after sprinting at full speed in a sports day relay and crossing the finish line, you might say, “I completely burned out.” It can also be used after you’ve enjoyed something to the fullest.
Have you ever experienced complete combustion? In everyday life, it may be rare to get that engrossed or desperate, but I hope you try experiencing complete combustion at least once, as a way to understand your own limits.


