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汗马功劳 (hàn mǎ-gōng láo) — war exploits (original meaning); fig. heroic contribution; outstanding service

Definition

A chengyu from ancient warfare: literally 'sweat-horse merits' (the horse's sweat on the battlefield), now used figuratively to praise someone's outstanding service or great contributions. Collocates with 立下 ('render, perform').

phrase
war exploits (original meaning)fig. heroic contributionoutstanding service

Examples

  • 汗马功劳。
    Tā zài gōng sī lì xià le hàn mǎ-gōng láo.
    He made outstanding contributions to the company.
  • 汗马功劳。
    Zhè ge xiàng mù de chéng gōng lí bù kāi tā de hàn mǎ-gōng láo.
    The success of this project cannot be separated from his heroic contributions.
  • 汗马功劳。
    Tā wèi guó jiā lì xià le hàn mǎ-gōng láo.
    He rendered outstanding service to the country.

Origin

Characters in this word

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
水水shuǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
干
干gān汗hàn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

汗 has 水, the water form, beside 干; 水 relates to liquid sweat, while 干 gives the sound.

Open 汗 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 馬; 马 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 馬 shows a horse with its head facing left, a flowing mane, and two legs standing vertically.

Open 马 →

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 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 勞; 劳 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lì
Sound part声符shēngfú
𬡤
𬡤𬡤勞láo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 勞 uses 力 for the meaning and 𬡤 for the sound; the simplified 劳 is a later shortened shape.

Open 劳 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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