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卖命 (mài mìng) — to work oneself to the bone (for someone or something); to risk one's life for

Definition

A vivid verb meaning to pour everything (even one's life) into something for a person or cause. It carries a tone of sacrifice or hardship, stronger than just 'work hard.'

verb
to work oneself to the bone (for someone or something)to risk one's life for

Examples

  • 卖命，。
    Tā wèi gōng sī mài mìng le èr shí nián, zuì hòu què dé bú dào zūn zhòng.
    He worked himself to the bone for the company for twenty years, but in the end didn't get respect.
  • ？
    Nǐ hé bì wèi zhè zhǒng rén mài zì jǐ de mìng?
    Why would you risk your own life for this kind of person?
  • 。
    Tā wèi le lǐ xiǎng mài le yí bèi zi de mìng.
    He worked himself to the bone his whole life for his ideals.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

卖màisell
命mìnglife

“卖” means sell, “命” means life, together meaning to sell one's life by working desperately.

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 賣; 卖 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 賣 came from an older shape that joined 出 (go out) with 買 (buy), which gives the sound. The simplified 卖 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical ones.

Open 卖 →

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
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
令
令lìng命mìng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

命 combines 口, a mouth, with 令, which gives the sound.

Open 命 →
Appears in
Workplace & Office

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