| 知其不可而为之 |
zhī qí bù kě ér wéi zhī |
to keep going resolutely despite knowing the task is impossible (idiom) |
| 知 |
zhī |
to know / to be aware |
| 其 |
qí |
his / her / its / their / that / such / it (refers to sth preceding it) |
| 不 |
bù |
no; not so / (bound form) not; un- |
| 不可 |
bù kě |
cannot; should not; must not |
| 可 |
kě |
(prefix) can; may; able to; -able / to approve; to permit / to suit / (particle used for emphasis) certainly; very / but; however |
| 可 |
kè |
used in 可汗 |
| 而 |
ér |
and / as well as / and so / but (not) / yet (not) / (indicates causal relation) / (indicates change of state) / (indicates contrast) |
| 为 |
wéi |
as (in the capacity of) / to take sth as / to act as / to serve as / to behave as / to become / to be / to do / by (in the passive voice) |
| 为 |
wèi |
because of / for / to |
| 为 |
wéi |
variant of 为 |
| 为 |
wèi |
variant of 为 |
| 之 |
zhī |
(possessive particle, literary equivalent of 的) / him / her / it |