十年寒窗
shí nián hán chuāng
long years of hard, lonely study
Character by character
十shí
ten
ten
年nián
years
years
寒hán
cold
cold
窗chuāng
window
window
Example
十年寒窗，就是为了高考这两天。
Ten years of hard study, all for these two days of the gaokao.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
From the imperial exam era: 十年寒窗无人问，一举成名天下知.
Learn this in Lesson 7 · HSK 5: 高考 (The college entrance exam)
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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