📖 Meaning
Describes someone who works with such extreme self-sacrifice that they wear their body down from heel to crown. It conveys tireless devotion to a cause without any regard for personal physical cost. The idiom emphasizes total dedication, even to the point of bodily harm.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom is a variant of '摩顶放踵' from the Warring States period text 'Mencius' (《孟子·尽心上》). Mencius described the philosopher Mozi (墨子), founder of Mohism, as a man who would 'wear his body smooth from crown to heel' if it could benefit the world. The phrase originally praised Mozi's doctrine of universal love and selfless service. Over time, '磨踵灭顶' emerged as a synonymous expression carrying the same connotation of relentless self-sacrifice.
💡 Example Usage
他为科研事业磨踵灭顶，终获重大突破。
He ground his heel and obliterated his crown for scientific research, and finally achieved a major breakthrough.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 磨踵灭顶
- Pinyin: mó zhǒng miè dǐng
- Literal Translation: grind heel, obliterate crown
- Category: Determination
- Characters: 4