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千方百计 (qiān fāng bǎi jì) — by every possible means; using all methods; by hook or by crook

Definition

千方百计 means 'by every possible means' and focuses on trying countless strategies to reach a goal, not on personal effort. 想方设法 is a close synonym; 全力以赴 / 竭尽全力 stress the effort you put in, while 无论如何 means 'no matter what' (concession, not method).

phrase
by every possible meansusing all methodsby hook or by crook

Examples

  • ，千方百计。
    Wèi le wán chéng rèn wu, tā qiān fāng bǎi jì dì xiǎng bàn fǎ.
    To complete the task, he thinks of every possible way.
  • 千方百计。
    Gōng sī qiān fāng bǎi jì dì jiàng dī chéng běn.
    The company tries every possible means to reduce costs.
  • 千方百计。
    Wǒ men yào qiān fāng bǎi jì dì tí gāo xiào lǜ.
    We need to improve efficiency by every possible means.

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
一一yīone, signifying a number
Sound part声符shēngfú
人
人rén千qiān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

千 pairs 人, whose sound was similar, with 一, a number stroke; the extra line was explained as extension, and a thousand is a number reached by extending counting.

Open 千 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 方 →

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
一一yī
Sound part声符shēngfú
白
白bái百bǎi
Same sound today

百 combines 一, which carries the number meaning, with 白, which provides the sound.

Open 百 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 計; 计 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 計 pairs 言 (say) with 十 (all). The simplified 计 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical shape.

Open 计 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Abstract ConceptsIdioms & Set Phrases

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