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乐此不疲 (lè cǐ-bù pí) — to enjoy doing something so much that one never tires of it; to take great pleasure in something and never get bored

Definition

A chengyu meaning you enjoy an activity so much you never tire of it. Unlike 爱不释手 (fond of an object you can't put down), this is about sustained effort over time, not a momentary attachment.

phrase
to enjoy doing something so much that one never tires of itto take great pleasure in something and never get bored

Examples

  • ，乐此不疲。
    Tā měi tiān pǎo bù shí gōng lǐ, lè cǐ-bù pí.
    He runs ten kilometers every day and never tires of it.
  • 乐此不疲，。
    Tā duì huà huà lè cǐ-bù pí, yí huà jiù shì jǐ gè xiǎo shí.
    She enjoys painting so much that she never gets tired, painting for hours at a time.
  • 乐此不疲，。
    Tā lè cǐ-bù pí dì yán jiū gǔ dài lì shǐ, yǐ jīng jiān chí le èr shí nián.
    He studies ancient history with such enjoyment that he never tires, having persisted for twenty years.

Origin

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 樂; 乐 is its simplified writing.

In the traditional form 樂, 絲 (string) with 木 (wood) shows strings on a piece of wood, a musical instrument; the simplified 乐 is a later shorthand.

Open 乐 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

此 shows 止 (feet) and 人 (person), drawing a person stopping, to mean 'this' or 'here.'

Open 此 →

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

The picture in 不 originally showed a flower’s calyx; the “no” sense came later from a related character, not from this picture.

Open 不 →

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
疒疒nèsick
Sound part声符shēngfú
皮
皮pí疲
Same sound today

疲 pairs 疒, which shows illness, with 皮, which gives its sound; the character means sick and tired.

Open 疲 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Emotions & FeelingsIdioms & Set Phrases

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.