📖 Meaning
Day followed by night, working continuously without rest. It describes someone who labors tirelessly around the clock without stopping to rest.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from the Book of Chen (《陈书·郑灼传》), the biography of Zheng Zhuo during the Southern Dynasties period. Zheng Zhuo came from a poor family but was deeply devoted to scholarship, copying commentaries and textual exegesis day and night without interruption. When his writing brush wore down completely, he would shave the remaining bristles and keep using it rather than stopping. The story vividly illustrates his extraordinary perseverance and dedication to learning despite material hardship.
💡 Example Usage
为了完成这项研究，他以日继夜地工作，几乎不曾休息。
To complete this research, he worked day and night without rest.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 以日继夜
- Pinyin: yǐ rì jì yè
- Literal Translation: use, day, continue, night
- Category: Perseverance
- Characters: 4