劳苦功高
劳苦功高 (láo kǔ gōng gāo) literally means “hard work, high achievements” and expresses “great toil and great service rendered”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving success and perseverance.
Also searched as: lao ku gong gao, lao ku gong gao,劳苦功高 meaning, 劳苦功高 in english
Great toil and great service rendered
Pronunciation: láo kǔ gōng gāo Literal meaning: Hard work, high achievements
Origin & Usage
At the banquet at Hongmen, with Xiang Yu's men waiting for a signal to kill Liu Bang, Fan Kuai forced his way in and made the case aloud: this is a man whose toil (劳苦) and achievement (功高) are of this order, and he has had no reward, while you plan to murder him. The interruption saved Liu Bang's life. The phrase kept the shape of the argument and is used to say that a person's contribution has been large and their recognition has not, generally as a preface to asking for something on their behalf.
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。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about success & perseverance
苦尽甘来
kǔ jìn gān lái
After hardship comes happiness
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含辛茹苦
hán xīn rú kǔ
Persevere through adversity
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不辞辛劳
bù cí xīn láo
Tireless dedication
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好逸恶劳
hào yì wù láo
Shirk effort by preference
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一劳永逸
yī láo yǒng yì
Solve a problem once and for all
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愁眉苦脸
chóu méi kǔ liǎn
Look worried and unhappy
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苦肉计
kǔ ròu jì
Self-sacrifice strategy
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苦口婆心
kǔ kǒu pó xīn
Patient, sincere advice
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 劳苦功高 mean in English?
劳苦功高 (láo kǔ gōng gāo) literally translates to “Hard work, high achievements” and is used to express “Great toil and great service rendered”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Success & Perseverance category.
When is 劳苦功高 used?
Situation: Through years of dedication and effort, she finally reached her career goals.
What is the pinyin for 劳苦功高?
The pinyin pronunciation for 劳苦功高 is “láo kǔ gōng gāo”.