HSK · Level 70
75 words
Chinese word
日复一日
Pronunciation
Pinyinrì fù yī rì
Meaning
- idiomday after day
Example
她日复一日地去图书馆学习。tā rì fù yí rì dì qù tú shū guǎn xué xí
She goes to the library to study day after day.
More examples
他过着日复一日的生活，感到很疲惫。tā guò zhe rì fù yí rì de shēng huó gǎn dào hěn pí bèi
He leads the same life day after day and feels very tired.
Core concept
The same pattern returns with each new day, making time feel like a loop.
Common phrases
过着日复一日的生活guò zhe rì fù yí rì de shēng huó
lead the same life day after day
日复一日地劳作rì fù yí rì dì láo zuò
work day after day
Similar words
千篇一律qiān piān yí lǜ: Having the same form or content throughout, so everything seems alike.
一成不变yì chéng bú biàn: Remaining unchanged from its original state or method.
枯燥无味kū zào wú wèi: Being dull and lacking interest or enjoyment.
Definition in Chinese
表示日复一日地重复同样的事情，常用来描写单调、枯燥或缺乏变化的状态，通常作状语。biǎo shì rì fù yí rì dì chóng fù tóng yàng de shì qíng cháng yòng lái miáo xiě dān diào kū zào huò quē fá biàn huà de zhuàng tài tōng cháng zuò zhuàng yǔ
Word origin
日 (rì, "day") + 复 (fù, "to repeat") + 一 (yī, "one") + 日 (rì, "day") creates the picture of one day returning after another.
Usage tips
- In everyday Chinese, this idiom often adds a weary or monotonous tone, so it is less neutral than a simple frequency expression.
Other meanings
- every dayidiom
- day by dayidiom
Opposites
- 时有时无shí yǒu shí wúon and offidiom
- 偶尔为之óu ěr wèi zhīdo occasionallyidiom