勤学苦练

qín xué kǔ liàn

to study diligently and train hard

Character by character

勤qín
diligent

学xué
study

苦kǔ
hard

练liàn
practise

经过三年的勤学苦练，他终于在全国比赛中拿到了冠军。

After three years of hard study and training he finally won the national championship.

Tone: positive (praise).

For skills that need the hands or the body: crafts, music, sport, martial arts, calligraphy. A favourite in speeches and profiles: 勤学苦练基本功, 靠的是勤学苦练.

Learn this in Lesson 183 · HSK 7–9: 大国工匠 (Master craftsmen)

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.