📖 Meaning
To be wholeheartedly devoted to something with undivided attention and complete sincerity. It describes someone who focuses entirely on a single task, goal, or person without any distraction or second thought.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom appears in multiple classical texts. A notable early usage is found in the Guanzi (管子), a text attributed to Guan Zhong (管仲) of the Spring and Autumn period, which states that a ruler must concentrate his will without wavering. The phrase also appears in Zhuangzi (庄子) and later works, consistently conveying the idea that unity of heart and mind leads to success and moral clarity.
💡 Example Usage
他一心一意地投入到科研工作中，几年如一日。
He devoted himself wholeheartedly to his research work, day in and day out for years.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 一心一意
- Pinyin: yī xīn yī yì
- Literal Translation: one heart, one mind
- Category: Determination
- Characters: 4