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.
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.
Examples
English: "The researcher became so absorbed in the project she barely ate or slept for days"
Chinese: 研究人员对项目如此专注，以至于几天几乎不吃不睡
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about success & perseverance
一鸣惊人
yī míng jīng rén
Sudden, remarkable success
Learn more →
融会贯通
róng huì guàn tōng
Master something completely
Learn more →
百折不挠
bǎi zhé bù náo
Unshakeable despite adversity
Learn more →
水滴石穿
shuǐ dī shí chuān
Persistence achieves anything
Learn more →
门庭若市
mén tíng ruò shì
Extremely popular
Learn more →
天道酬勤
tiān dào chóu qín
Heaven rewards diligence
Learn more →
破釜沉舟
pò fǔ chén zhōu
Commit with no retreat
Learn more →
守时如金
shǒu shí rú jīn
Value time preciously
Learn more →
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: The researcher became so absorbed in the project she barely ate or slept for days
What is the pinyin for 废寝忘食?
The pinyin pronunciation for 废寝忘食 is “fèi qǐn wàng shí”.