下苦功 (xià kǔ gōng) — to put in hard work; to make strenuous efforts

Definition

A set phrase meaning to invest painstaking effort (usually at something difficult like a skill or study). Often paired with 在…上 or a time phrase to show sustained effort over time.

verb
to put in hard workto make strenuous efforts

Examples

  • ，。
    Tā wèi le xué hǎo shū fǎ, xià le hěn duō kǔ gōng.
    He put in a lot of hard work to learn calligraphy well.
  • ，下苦功。
    Rú guǒ xiǎng chéng gōng, jiù bì xū xià kǔ gōng.
    If you want to succeed, you must put in hard work.
  • 下苦功，。
    Tā zài kē yán fāng miàn xià kǔ gōng duō nián, zhōng yú yǒu le tū pò.
    She put in years of hard work in scientific research and finally made a breakthrough.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

下xiàput in
苦功hard effort
苦kǔhard功gōngwork
偏正Modifier + head

「下」 (put in) and 「苦功」 (hard effort) mean to put in hard work.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

下 is drawn as a short horizontal line below a long curved line.

Open 下 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艸艸cǎograss
Sound part声符shēngfú
古
古gǔ苦kǔ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The top 艸 shows grass or plants, matching the sense of bitter plants. The bottom 古 gives the sound.

Open 苦 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
工
工gōng功gōng
Same sound today

功 puts 力 (strength) beside 工, which gives the sound gōng and means labour or work.

Open 功 →

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