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孤注一掷 (gū zhù yī zhī) — to put all one's eggs in one basket; to stake everything on one final attempt

Definition

A chengyu meaning to risk everything on a single, desperate bet — the move is deliberate and high-stakes, not casual. It carries a stronger sense of finality and recklessness than simply 'trying hard'.

idiom
to put all one's eggs in one basketto stake everything on one final attempt

Examples

  • 孤注一掷。
    Tā zhè cì tóu zī jiǎn zhí shì gū zhù yī zhī.
    This investment of his is basically putting all his eggs in one basket.
  • ，孤注一掷。
    Bǐ sài dào le zuì hòu guān tóu, wǒ men zhǐ néng gū zhù yī zhī le.
    The competition is at the last moment — we can only stake everything on this move.
  • ，孤注一掷。
    Chuàng yè shí tā bǎ suǒ yǒu jī xù dōu tóu le jìn qù, zhēn shì gū zhù yī zhī.
    When starting his business, he put all his savings into it — a real roll of the dice.

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
子子zǐchild
Sound part声符shēngfú
瓜
瓜guā孤gū
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

孤 uses 子 (child) to show a child, and 瓜 to give the sound.

Open 孤 →

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shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
主
主zhǔ注zhù
Same sound today

注 combines 水, meaning water, with 主, which gives the sound.

Open 注 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

一 is drawn as one horizontal stroke, marking the number one.

Open 一 →

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 擲; 掷 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
鄭
鄭zhèng擲zhì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 擲 uses 手 (hand) for the action and 鄭 for the sound; the simplified 掷 is a later shorthand.

Open 掷 →
Appears in
Gambling & ChanceIdioms & Set Phrases

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