殚精竭虑
dān jīng jié lǜ
to spend all one’s energy and thought; to rack one’s brains for a cause
Character by character
殚dān
exhaust
exhaust
精jīng
energy
energy
竭jié
use up
use up
虑lǜ
thought
thought
Example
为了让这家老厂活下去，新厂长殚精竭虑，两年里头发全白了。
To keep the old factory alive, the new manager gave it every ounce of thought and energy, and in two years his hair turned completely white.
Tone: positive (praise).
Usage and origin
殚 and 竭 both mean “to use up”; 精 is energy and 虑 thought. Formal praise of leaders, scientists and planners who give everything to a cause, common in tributes and obituaries. Close to 呕心沥血 (lesson 5-26), which stresses the heart’s blood poured out; 殚精竭虑 stresses careful thinking and planning.
Learn this in Lesson 178 · HSK 7–9: 中国天眼 (China’s Sky Eye)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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