📖 Meaning
To constantly strive for perfection and never be satisfied with the current level of quality. It describes an attitude of relentless self-improvement and dedication to excellence in one's craft or work.
📜 Origin Story
The concept originates from the《诗经·卫风·淇奥》line "如切如磋，如琢如磨" (like cutting and filing, like carving and polishing), which Confucius cited in《论语·学而》to illustrate how a person should refine their character through study and reflection. The four-character idiom itself crystallized in later classical commentaries, particularly through Song-dynasty Neo-Confucian scholars such as Zhu Xi, who used it to describe the pursuit of ever-greater moral and intellectual refinement.
💡 Example Usage
他在雕刻技艺上精益求精，每一件作品都要反复打磨数月才肯展出。
He constantly refines his sculpting technique, polishing every piece for months before he is willing to exhibit it.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 精益求精
- Pinyin: jīng yì qiú jīng
- Literal Translation: already fine, still seek to be finer
- Category: Determination
- Characters: 4