📖 Meaning
To exhaust one's energy and thoughts on something. It describes putting in the utmost mental effort and concentration to solve a problem or complete a task. The expression conveys a sense of total dedication and tireless deliberation.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from the Tang Dynasty poet and official Bai Juyi, who wrote in his policy essay collection 'Celin' (策林): 'I have exhausted my thoughts and deliberations to fulfill the way of a humble minister offering counsel.' The expression combined '殚' (to exhaust entirely) with '精' (spirit) and '虑' (deliberation) to convey the depth of intellectual effort. Over time, '殚思极虑' evolved into the more commonly used form '殚精竭虑.' Lu Xun later used the idiom in his essay '商贾的批评,' helping popularize it in modern Chinese.
💡 Example Usage
为了攻克这个技术难题，研发团队殚精竭虑，连续奋战了三个月。
To crack this technical problem, the R&D team exhausted all their energy and ingenuity, working relentlessly for three straight months.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 殚精竭虑
- Pinyin: dān jīng jié lǜ
- Literal Translation: exhaust spirit, deplete thought
- Category: Perseverance
- Characters: 4