what doesn't kill you makes you stronger

proverb

Hardship builds moral character.

OriginGerman Was mich nicht umbringt, macht mich stärker →
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Meanings

proverb

alternative that which doesn't kill you makes you stronger

  1. Hardship builds moral character.

Origin

  1. GermanWas mich nicht umbringt, macht mich stärker
  2. Englishwhat doesn't kill you makes you stronger

From German Was mich nicht umbringt, macht mich stärker, which has been variously translated, from Friedrich Nietzsche's Twilight of the Idols.

More words from German

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic مَا لَا يَقْتُلُكَ يَجْعَلُكَ أَقْوَى, مَا لَا يَقْتُلُكِ يَجْعَلُكِ قُويَا
  • مَا لَا يَقْتُلُكَ يَجْعَلُكَ أَقْوَى (mā lā yaqtuluka yajʕaluka ʔaqwā)hardship builds moral character
  • مَا لَا يَقْتُلُكِ يَجْعَلُكِ قُويَا (mā lā yaqtuluki yajʕaluki qūyā)hardship builds moral character
Chinese Cantonese 揦鮓食，揦鮓大 /揦鲊食, 揦鲊大
  • 揦鮓食，揦鮓大 /揦鲊食hardship builds moral character
  • 揦鲊大 (laa⁵ zaa² sik⁶, laa⁵ zaa² daai⁶)hardship builds moral character
Chinese Mandarin 艱難困苦，玉汝於成 /艰难困苦, 玉汝于成
  • 艱難困苦，玉汝於成 /艰难困苦hardship builds moral character
  • 玉汝于成hardship builds moral character
  • 逆境造就品格 (nìjìng zàojiù pǐngé)hardship builds moral character
Czech co tě nezabije, to tě posílí
  • co tě nezabije, to tě posílíhardship builds moral character
Finnish se, mikä ei tapa, vahvistaa
  • se, mikä ei tapa, vahvistaahardship builds moral character
French ce qui ne tue pas rend plus fort
  • ce qui ne tue pas rend plus forthardship builds moral character
German was dich nicht umbringt, macht dich stärker
  • was dich nicht umbringt, macht dich stärkerhardship builds moral character
Hebrew מה שלא הורג, מחשל
  • מה שלא הורג, מחשל (ma she-ló horég, mechashél)hardship builds moral character
Hungarian ami nem öl meg, az megerősít
  • ami nem öl meg, az megerősíthardship builds moral character
Polish co cię nie zabije, to cię wzmocni
  • co cię nie zabije, to cię wzmocnihardship builds moral character
Portuguese o que não mata, engorda
  • o que não mata, engordahardship builds moral character
Romanian ce nu te omoară, te face mai puternic
  • ce nu te omoară, te face mai puternichardship builds moral character
Slovak čo ťa nezabije, to ťa posilní
  • čo ťa nezabije, to ťa posilníhardship builds moral character
Spanish lo que no te mata, te hace más fuerte, lo que no mata, engorda
  • lo que no te mata, te hace más fuertehardship builds moral character
  • lo que no mata, engordahardship builds moral character
Swedish det som inte dödar härdar
  • det som inte dödar härdarhardship builds moral character
Cite this entry
APA

what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/what%20doesn't%20kill%20you%20makes%20you%20stronger

MLA

“what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/what%20doesn't%20kill%20you%20makes%20you%20stronger. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “what doesn't kill you makes you stronger,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/what%20doesn't%20kill%20you%20makes%20you%20stronger.

Source: what doesn't kill you makes you stronger on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.