劳苦功高

Pronunciation: láo kǔ gōng gāo Literal meaning: Hard work, high achievements

Origin & Usage

The idiom 劳苦功高 (láo kǔ gōng gāo) originates from the historical text 《史记》 (Shǐjì), written by Sima Qian during the Western Han Dynasty. It is associated with the story of Liu Bang, who later became the first emperor of the Han Dynasty. During the tumultuous period following the fall of the Qin Dynasty, Liu Bang's forces captured the capital, Xianyang, before Xiang Yu, another powerful leader. Despite Liu Bang's significant contributions and hardships (劳苦, hard work), he was not immediately rewarded, which led to tensions with Xiang Yu. The idiom highlights the concept of achieving great success (功高, high achievements) through perseverance and hard work. In modern usage, it is used to commend individuals who have made significant contributions through their diligent efforts.

Examples

English: "Through years of dedication and effort, she finally reached her career goals."

Chinese: 经过多年的努力，她终于达到了职业目标。