TongTong
Sign in

在所不惜 (zài suǒ bù xī) — would not hesitate to (do sth) even at great cost; to be willing to pay any price

Definition

An emphatic set phrase meaning one would spare no cost or effort — not hesitate even to risk life, time, or hardship for the goal. Typically appears in a 再/也… in 所不惜 pattern after stating the cost.

idiom
would not hesitate to (do sth) even at great costto be willing to pay any price

Examples

  • ，在所不惜。
    Wèi le jiā rén néng guò shàng gèng hǎo de shēng huó, tā zài kǔ zài lèi yě zài suǒ bù xī.
    To give his family a better life, he wouldn't grudge any hardship or tiredness.
  • ，在所不惜。
    Wèi le jiù nà ge hái zi, tā mào zhe shēng mìng wēi xiǎn yě zài suǒ bù xī.
    To save that child, he would risk his life without hesitation.
  • ，在所不惜。
    Zhǐ yào néng bǎ zhè jiàn shì zuò chéng, fù chū zài duō shí jiān yě zài suǒ bù xī.
    As long as this task can be accomplished, I would not grudge spending even more time.

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.

The early form of 在 used 才 for its sound; a second sound part 士 was added later, and that 士 became the 土 seen in 在.

Open 在 →

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
斤斤jīnaxe
Sound part声符shēngfú
戶
戶hù所suǒ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

所 pairs 斤, an axe, with 戶, which gives the sound hù; the old meaning was the sound of logging.

Open 所 →

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
忄Written in full as心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
昔
昔xī惜⁰xī
Same sound today

惜 has 忄, the heart, and 昔, which gives the sound. 昔 also points to the past or an ending, so the feeling is about something past.

Open 惜 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set PhrasesWill & Intention

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