废寝忘食
废寝忘食 (fèi qǐn wàng shí) literally means “abandon sleep forget food” and expresses “so absorbed as to neglect basic needs”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving success and perseverance. It originates from ancient Chinese literature and remains commonly used in modern Mandarin.
Also searched as: fei qin wang shi, fei qin wang shi,废寝忘食 meaning, 废寝忘食 in english
So absorbed as to neglect basic needs
Pronunciation: fèi qǐn wàng shí Literal meaning: Abandon sleep forget food
Origin & Usage
Han Dynasty biographers first celebrated this level of dedication where scholars abandoned sleep (废寝) and forgot food (忘食). The phrase gained immortality through Sima Qian's complete absorption in compiling the 'Records of the Grand Historian.' The neglect of basic biological needs demonstrated how intellectual passion could override even survival instincts.
When to Use
Situation: The researcher became so absorbed in the project she barely ate or slept for days
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Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about success & perseverance
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 废寝忘食 mean in English?
废寝忘食 (fèi qǐn wàng shí) literally translates to “Abandon sleep forget food” and is used to express “So absorbed as to neglect basic needs”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Success & Perseverance category.
When is 废寝忘食 used?
Situation: This idiom applies when describing situations involving so absorbed as to neglect basic needs.
What is the pinyin for 废寝忘食?
The pinyin pronunciation for 废寝忘食 is “fèi qǐn wàng shí”.