Chinese idiom · 成语
众志成城
Meaning
United wills form a fortress; collective strength prevails.
Character by character
Origin and story
Historical accountThe Discourses of the States, in its final Zhou section, relates King Jing's decision to cast an enormous bell despite objections about its cost and usefulness. After musicians praised the finished bell, the king confronted the adviser Zhou Jiu, who had opposed the project.
Zhou Jiu argued that genuine harmony required the people's approval, not merely a pleasing sound purchased at their expense. He cited a proverb comparing united hearts to a fortified city, alongside a warning about the power of many voices. The source says 众心成城; later works use 众志成城. Its lasting image is collective resolve providing the strength of a defensive wall, not a story about people literally building a city.
Sources and further reading
In everyday life
台风过后，邻居们众志成城，分工清理街道，很快恢复了通行。
After the typhoon, the neighbors united and divided up the street cleanup, soon making the road passable again.
Praises solidarity and shared effort when a group faces a challenge.