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尽心尽力 (jìn xīn jìn lì) — with all one's heart and might; to spare no effort; to do one's utmost

Definition

A chengyu meaning 'to spare no effort' — 尽 ('exhaust') governs both 心 (heart, i.e. intention) and 力 (strength, i.e. action), so the speaker commits wholeheartedly in BOTH mind and deed.

idiom
with all one's heart and mightto spare no effortto do one's utmost

Examples

  • 尽心尽力。
    Tā zuò rèn hé shì qing dōu jìn xīn jìn lì.
    He does everything with all his heart and might.
  • ，尽心尽力。
    Wèi le wán chéng zhè ge xiàng mù, dà jiā jìn xīn jìn lì dì gōng zuò.
    In order to complete this project, everyone worked with all their heart and might.
  • 尽心尽力。
    Tā jìn xīn jìn lì dì zhào gù shēng bìng de mǔ qīn.
    She took care of her sick mother with all her heart and might.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

尽心put forth heart
尽jìnput forth心xīnheart
动宾Verb + object
尽力put forth strength
尽jìnput forth力lìstrength
动宾Verb + object

尽心 and 尽力 together convey giving one's heart and strength with utmost effort.

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 盡; 尽 is its simplified writing.

  • 聿聿yùhand holding a brush
  • 灬灬huǒbristles
  • 皿皿mǐndish

The traditional form 盡 shows 聿 (hand holding a brush) and 灬 (bristles) over 皿 (dish), cleaning a dish until it is empty. The simplified 尽 is a shorthand, not those historical parts.

Open 尽 →

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

The shape of 心 comes from a drawing of a heart, now highly stylized.

Open 心 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 盡; 尽 is its simplified writing.

  • 聿聿yùhand holding a brush
  • 灬灬huǒbristles
  • 皿皿mǐndish

The traditional form 盡 shows 聿 (hand holding a brush) and 灬 (bristles) over 皿 (dish), cleaning a dish until it is empty. The simplified 尽 is a shorthand, not those historical parts.

Open 尽 →

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

力 is drawn as either an arm bending out from the side of the body or a wooden plough.

Open 力 →
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Idioms & Set Phrases

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