悬梁刺股
悬梁刺股 (xuán liáng cì gǔ) literally means “hang beam stab thigh” and expresses “study extremely hard”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving success and perseverance.
Also searched as: xuan liang ci gu, xuan liang ci gu,悬梁刺股 meaning, 悬梁刺股 in english
Study extremely hard
Pronunciation: xuán liáng cì gǔ Literal meaning: Hang beam stab thigh
Origin & Usage
Two men, two methods. Sun Jing, of the Han, tied his hair to the roof beam (悬梁) so that nodding off would pull him upright. Su Qin, generations earlier, had been sent home from Qin in disgrace after ten memorials went unread, and read through the night with an awl beside him, stabbing (刺) his own thigh (股) when he grew drowsy — the Strategies of the Warring States says the blood ran to his feet. Neither was preparing for an examination; that system was centuries away. Both were trying to become men worth listening to.
Examples
English: "She studied late into the night, determined to master the subject"
Chinese: 她深夜苦读，决心掌握这门学科
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about success & perseverance
胸有丘壑
xiōng yǒu qiū hè
Have great vision
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见微知著
jiàn wēi zhī zhù
Foresee big from small signs
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察言观色
chá yán guān sè
Read between lines
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运筹帷幄
yùn chóu wéi wò
Plan strategy carefully
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披荆斩棘
pī jīng zhǎn jí
Overcome all obstacles
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凿壁偷光
záo bì tōu guāng
Study despite poverty
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望其项背
wàng qí xiàng bèi
Come close enough to rival — usually negated
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浩浩荡荡
hào hào dàng dàng
Moving in overwhelming numbers
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 悬梁刺股 mean in English?
悬梁刺股 (xuán liáng cì gǔ) literally translates to “Hang beam stab thigh” and is used to express “Study extremely hard”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Success & Perseverance category.
When is 悬梁刺股 used?
Situation: She studied late into the night, determined to master the subject
What is the pinyin for 悬梁刺股?
The pinyin pronunciation for 悬梁刺股 is “xuán liáng cì gǔ”.
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