📖 Meaning
To put fireflies in a pouch to light up a book. It describes someone from a poor family who studies diligently under harsh conditions. The phrase symbolizes perseverance in learning despite material hardship.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from the Biography of Che Yin in the Book of Jin (《晋书》). Che Yin of the Jin Dynasty was a diligent and learned scholar, but his family was too poor to afford lamp oil. During summer nights, he would collect dozens of fireflies in a thin silk pouch and use their faint glow to read books, continuing his studies from night into day. His unwavering dedication to learning despite poverty became a celebrated model of perseverance, giving rise to this idiom.
💡 Example Usage
老师用囊萤照书的故事勉励同学们珍惜读书机会。
The teacher used the story of studying by firefly light to encourage students to cherish their opportunity to study.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 囊萤照书
- Pinyin: náng yíng zhào shū
- Literal Translation: sack, firefly, illuminate, book
- Category: Perseverance
- Characters: 4