‘愈挫愈勇’ is a four-character idiom expressing resilience and growing courage in the face of repeated setbacks. Literally, it means ‘the more one is frustrated or defeated, the more courageous one becomes.’ The structure repeats the character 愈 (yù), meaning ‘the more,’ to emphasize intensification—similar to English ‘the more… the more…’ constructions. 挫 (cuò) refers to setbacks, failures, or blows to one’s confidence, while 勇 (yǒng) signifies bravery, boldness, or spirited determination. Together, the phrase captures an admirable psychological response: not shrinking from difficulty, but drawing strength from adversity.

This idiom is commonly used to praise perseverance in personal growth, academic challenges, sports, entrepreneurship, or any long-term endeavor where obstacles are inevitable. It carries a positive, inspirational tone and often appears in motivational speeches, biographies, or encouragement given to students or athletes. Though grammatically adjectival, it functions predicatively or attributively—e.g., ‘他愈挫愈勇’ (He grows braver with every setback) or ‘一种愈挫愈勇的精神’ (a spirit that grows braver through setbacks).