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xuán 悬 liáng 梁 cì 刺 gǔ 股

悬梁刺股 xuán liáng cì gǔ

to study with extreme diligence; to burn the midnight oil

Literally: hang beam pierce thigh

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Origin

Combines two Han and Warring States anecdotes: Sun Jing tied his hair to a roof beam to stay awake reading, and Su Qin jabbed his thigh with an awl whenever he dozed off over his books.

How to use it

Predicate or attributive; positive, slightly literary. Often 悬梁刺股地苦读.

Example sentences

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  1. 为了考上理想的大学，他整整一年悬梁刺股，几乎没有休息过一天。
    Wèile kǎoshàng lǐxiǎng de dàxué, tā zhěngzhěng yī nián xuán liáng cì gǔ, jīhū méiyǒu xiūxi guò yī tiān.
    To get into his dream university he studied relentlessly for a whole year, hardly resting a single day.
    in-order-to test-into ideal (particle) university, he whole one year hang beam pierce thigh, almost not-have rest (experiential) one day
  2. 古人悬梁刺股的精神值得今天的学生学习。
    Gǔrén xuán liáng cì gǔ de jīngshén zhídé jīntiān de xuésheng xuéxí.
    The ancients' spirit of studying with fierce diligence is worth today's students learning from.
    ancient-people hang beam pierce thigh (particle) spirit worth today (particle) students learn

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