Chinese word

一鼓作气

Pronunciation

Pinyinyī gǔ zuò qì

Meaning

  • idiomget it done in one go

Example

我们要一鼓作气把这个项目做完。wǒ men yào yì gǔ zuò qì bǎ zhè ge xiàng mù zuò wán

We need to get this project done in one go.

Illustration for 一鼓作气 (get it done in one go)

More examples

他决定一鼓作气把所有作业做完。tā jué dìng yì gǔ zuò qì bǎ suó yǒu zuò yè zuò wán

He decided to get all his homework done in one go.

Core concept

A task rides its first burst of momentum straight to completion.

Common phrases

  • 一鼓作气完成yì gǔ zuò qì wán chéng

    complete in one go

  • 一鼓作气做完yì gǔ zuò qì zuò wán

    finish in one go

  • 一鼓作气干完yì gǔ zuò qì gàn wán

    get done in one go

Similar words

一气呵成yí qì hē chéng: Completing something in one continuous burst, without stopping or breaking it into separate parts.
一蹴而就yí cù ér jiù: Achieving a result or finishing a task with one quick action.

Definition in Chinese

趁开始时的气势，一口气把事情或任务完成。chèn kāi shǐ shí de qì shì yì kǒu qì bǎ shì qíng huò rèn wù wán chéng

Word origin

一鼓作气 (yīgǔzuòqì, "get it done in one go") comes from the Zuo Zhuan saying that the first drumbeat raises morale most strongly, before later beats weaken it.

Usage tips

  • In everyday speech, this idiom suits a task that can be finished in one sustained push and sounds less natural for work designed to unfold over many separate stages.

Opposites

Word lists with this word