# 刚愎自用

gāng bì zì yòng

Stubbornly trust only one's own judgment

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Be obstinate and rely on oneself

**Traditional Chinese:** 剛愎自用

**Register:** Critical · formal

[People & connection](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/relationships)

## When to use it

Criticize refusing advice despite contrary evidence.

Independent judgment alone is not stubbornness.

## Understanding the expression

The phrase combines a hard refusal to bend with exclusive reliance on one's own view. A person may hear advice yet reject it without proper thought because admitting another perspective feels unacceptable. Modern use often concerns leaders or decision makers whose certainty blocks correction. The criticism is about closed judgment, not confidence itself. Someone can make an independent choice after considering evidence without being guilty of this fault.

## Examples

他刚愎自用，听不进建议。

### Traditional Chinese

他剛愎自用，聽不進建議。

tā gāng bì zì yòng ， tīng bú jìn jiàn yì 。

He stubbornly refuses to consider advice.

刚愎自用的经理忽视了警告。

### Traditional Chinese

剛愎自用的經理忽視了警告。

gāng bì zì yòng de jīng lǐ hū shì le jǐng gào 。

The obstinate manager ignored the warnings.

她提醒自己别刚愎自用。

### Traditional Chinese

她提醒自己別剛愎自用。

tā tí xǐng zì jǐ bié gāng bì zì yòng 。

She reminds herself not to be stubbornly self assured.

失败后，他才承认自己刚愎自用。

### Traditional Chinese

失敗後，他才承認自己剛愎自用。

shī bài hòu ， tā cái chéng rèn zì jǐ gāng bì zì yòng 。

Only after failure did he admit his stubbornness.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 6, 2026.

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E5%89%9B%E6%84%8E%E8%87%AA%E7%94%A8)

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=106&webMd=1&la=0)

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