尽心竭力 (jìn xīn jié lì) — to devote oneself wholeheartedly; to spare no effort; to do one's utmost

Definition

A written/elevated idiom meaning 'to spare no effort, give one's all' — stronger and more literary than the everyday 用心 or 努力, typically used for sustained dedication to a duty or task.

idiom
to devote oneself wholeheartedlyto spare no effortto do one's utmost

Examples

  • 尽心竭力，。
    Tā jìn xīn jié lì dì wèi gōng sī gōng zuò, cóng bú bào yuàn.
    He works for the company with all his heart and never complains.
  • 尽心竭力，。
    Lǎo shī jìn xīn jié lì dì bāng zhù xué shēng, xī wàng tā men dōu néng chéng gōng.
    The teacher helps students with utmost dedication, hoping they can all succeed.
  • ，尽心竭力。
    Wèi le wán chéng zhè ge xiàng mù, wǒ men jìn xīn jié lì dì nǔ lì le sān gè yuè.
    To complete this project, we worked with all our might for three months.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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
竭力exhaust strength
竭jiéexhaust力lìstrength
动宾Verb + object

尽心 gives one's heart, 竭力 exhausts one's strength; together they mean wholehearted 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 →

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
立立lì
Sound part声符shēngfú
曷
曷hé竭jié
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

竭 is built from 立 and 曷: 立 carries the meaning part, while 曷 supplies the sound.

Open 竭 →

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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