HSK · Level 105
45 words
Chinese word
夜以继日
Pronunciation
Pinyinyè yǐ jì rì
Meaning
- idiomday and night
Example
他夜以继日地工作。tā yè yǐ jì rì dì gōng zuò
He works day and night.
More examples
交警夜以继日地巡逻，确保道路安全。jiāo jǐng yè yǐ jì rì dì xún luó què bǎo dào lù ān quán
Traffic police patrol day and night to ensure road safety.
Core concept
A goal keeps a person working through darkness and daylight, showing both long duration and great commitment.
Common phrases
夜以继日地巡逻yè yǐ jì rì dì xún luó
patrol day and night
Similar words
日以继夜rì yǐ jì yè: Going on continuously through the daytime and nighttime.
不眠不休bù mián bù xiū: Keeping at something without sleep or rest.
加班加点jiā bān jiā diǎn: Doing extra work by staying on the job beyond normal hours.
孜孜不倦zī zī bú juàn: Making a steady, eager effort and not giving in to tiredness or laziness.
Definition in Chinese
用来形容为实现目标而昼夜不停地劳作或奋战，侧重于持续时间长和精力投入大。yòng lái xíng róng wèi shí xiàn mù biāo ér zhòu yè bù tíng dì láo zuò huò fèn zhàn cè zhòng yú chí xù shí jiān cháng hé jīng lì tóu rù dà
Word origin
夜以继日 (yèyǐjìrì, "night continuing into day") uses 夜 (yè, "night") + 以 (yǐ, "use as a means") + 继 (jì, "continue") + 日 (rì, "day") to evoke carrying work on through the night into the day.
Usage tips
- In conversation, speakers may choose simpler wording for ordinary late work, while this idiom suits effort that sounds especially sustained or demanding.
Other meanings
- without sleepidiom
Opposites
- 朝九晚五zhāo jiú wán wǔwork nine to fiveidiom