📖 Meaning
A metaphor for showing utmost loyalty and earnest sincerity. It vividly describes pouring out one's heart and soul with complete devotion, as if dripping blood and baring one's chest. It is equivalent to the idiom "沥血叩心".
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from a Taoist prayer text by Du Guangting, a prominent Taoist priest and court writer of the Former Shu kingdom (907–925) during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. In his text "Prayer for the Duke of Jin's Earth Altar Ritual" (《晋公后土醮词》), he wrote of earnest supplication, using "沥血披心" to describe the absolute sincerity with which one appeals to the divine for protection and blessing. The phrase combines the visceral imagery of dripping blood (沥血) with baring one's heart (披心) to convey total devotion.
💡 Example Usage
为报答知遇之恩，他沥血披心，誓死效忠朝廷。
To repay the grace of being recognized and entrusted, he poured out his heart and soul, swearing loyalty to the court unto death.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 沥血披心
- Pinyin: lì xuè pī xīn
- Literal Translation: drip blood, bare heart
- Category: Attitude
- Characters: 4