披肝沥胆
披肝沥胆 (pī gān lì dǎn) literally means “expose liver, drain gallbladder” and expresses “give one's all; be completely sincere”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving success and perseverance.
Also searched as: pi gan li dan, pi gan li dan,披肝沥胆 meaning, 披肝沥胆 in english
Give one's all; be completely sincere
Pronunciation: pī gān lì dǎn Literal meaning: Expose liver, drain gallbladder
Origin & Usage
Laying open (披) the liver (肝) and letting the gall (胆) drip out (沥). The same two organs as in 肝胆相照, seat of sincerity and of nerve, but the verbs here are surgical rather than illuminating: this is not showing somebody your insides, it is emptying them out. That is what makes it the more extreme of the pair. Total commitment offered to a cause or a superior — the language of declarations, petitions, and people staking everything on being believed.
Examples
English: "He dedicated himself completely to the cause."
Chinese: 他披肝沥胆，全身心投入这项事业。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about success & perseverance
肝胆相照
gān dǎn xiāng zhào
Share complete trust and loyalty
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呕心沥血
ǒu xīn lì xuè
Invest utmost effort and emotion
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励精图治
lì jīng tú zhì
Work hard to improve governance
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披荆斩棘
pī jīng zhǎn jí
Overcome all obstacles
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披星戴月
pī xīng dài yuè
Work day and night
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所向披靡
suǒ xiàng pī mǐ
Be invincible; defeat all opponents
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肝肠寸断
gān cháng cùn duàn
Extreme sorrow
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大公无私
dà gōng wú sī
Completely impartial without self-interest
Learn more →
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 披肝沥胆 mean in English?
披肝沥胆 (pī gān lì dǎn) literally translates to “Expose liver, drain gallbladder” and is used to express “Give one's all; be completely sincere”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Success & Perseverance category.
When is 披肝沥胆 used?
Situation: He dedicated himself completely to the cause.
What is the pinyin for 披肝沥胆?
The pinyin pronunciation for 披肝沥胆 is “pī gān lì dǎn”.