乐此不疲
乐此不疲 (lè cǐ bù pí) literally means “enjoy this, not tired” and expresses “passionate engagement”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: le ci bu pi, le ci bu pi,乐此不疲 meaning, 乐此不疲 in english
Passionate engagement
Pronunciation: lè cǐ bù pí Literal meaning: Enjoy this, not tired
Origin & Usage
The idiom 乐此不疲 (lè cǐ bù pí) originates from the historical account of Emperor Guangwu of Han (汉光武帝, Hàn Guāngwǔ Dì), Liu Xiu (刘秀, Liú Xiù), as recorded in the 'Book of the Later Han' (《后汉书》, Hòu Hàn Shū) by Fan Ye (范晔, Fàn Yè). Emperor Guangwu was known for his tireless dedication to governance, working from dawn until late at night. When his son expressed concern for his health, suggesting he should take time to rest, Liu Xiu replied, 'I enjoy this and do not feel tired' (我自乐此，不为疲也, wǒ zì lè cǐ, bù wéi pí yě). The idiom breaks down as follows: 乐 (lè) means 'enjoy,' 此 (cǐ) means 'this,' 不 (bù) means 'not,' and 疲 (pí) means 'tired.' In modern usage, it describes someone who is so passionate about an activity that they do not feel exhausted by it.
Examples
English: "He immerses himself in his work and never seems to tire of it."
Chinese: 他全心投入工作，乐此不疲。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
一波三折
yī bō sān zhé
Many twists and turns
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改邪归正
gǎi xié guī zhèng
Return to righteousness
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好逸恶劳
hào yì wù láo
Love ease, hate work
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物极必反
wù jí bì fǎn
Extremes lead to reversal
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塞翁失马
sài wēng shī mǎ
Misfortune might be a blessing
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近水楼台
jìn shuǐ lóu tái
Advantage from close connections
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夜郎自大
yè láng zì dà
Overestimate oneself
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因果报应
yīn guǒ bào yìng
Actions have consequences
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 乐此不疲 mean in English?
乐此不疲 (lè cǐ bù pí) literally translates to “Enjoy this, not tired” and is used to express “Passionate engagement”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 乐此不疲 used?
Situation: He immerses himself in his work and never seems to tire of it.
What is the pinyin for 乐此不疲?
The pinyin pronunciation for 乐此不疲 is “lè cǐ bù pí”.