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心力交瘁 (xīn lì jiāo cuì) — mentally and physically exhausted; burned out (from combined mental and physical strain)

Definition

A four-character idiom (chengyu) meaning body and mind are both worn out — stronger and more literary than 累 or 疲劳, used for long-term strain rather than simple tiredness.

idiom
mentally and physically exhaustedburned out (from combined mental and physical strain)

Examples

  • ，心力交瘁。
    Tā zuì jìn gōng zuò tài máng, yǐ jīng xīn lì jiāo cuì le.
    He's been too busy with work lately and is already mentally and physically exhausted.
  • 心力交瘁。
    Zhào gù shēng bìng de jiā rén ràng tā xīn lì jiāo cuì.
    Caring for a sick family member left her mentally and physically drained.
  • 心力交瘁。
    Lián xù jǐ gè yuè de kǎo shì zhǔn bèi ràng tā xīn lì jiāo cuì.
    Months of continuous exam preparation left him exhausted in both mind and body.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
主谓zhǔwèiSubject + predicate

A small sentence frozen into a word: something, and what it does or is.

心力mind and strength
心xīnmind力lìstrength
联合Coordinate
交瘁mutually exhausted
交jiāomutually瘁cuìexhausted
偏正Modifier + head

The 心 mind and 力 strength are 交 mutually 瘁 exhausted, describing burnout.

Characters in this word

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 →

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 →

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

交 originally drew a human with crossed legs. In the modern shape, the upper part resembles a standing person.

Open 交 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Appears in
Mental HealthIdioms & Set Phrases

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