只要功夫深,铁杵磨成针

zhǐ yào gōng fu shēn , tiě chǔ mó chéng zhēn

cf idiom 磨杵成針|磨杵成针, to grind an iron bar down to a fine needle (idiom); fig. to persevere in a difficult task

If you work at it hard enough, you can grind an iron bar into a needle.; to study diligently

zhǐ

variant of 只[zhi3]

yào

to want; to need; to ask for

gōng

meritorious deed or service

fu

husband

shēn

deep (lit. and fig.)

,

tiě

iron (metal)

chǔ

pestle

to rub

chéng

short name for Chengdu 成都[Cheng2 du1]

zhēn

variant of 針|针[zhen1], needle