恪尽职守 (kè jìn zhí shǒu) — to be scrupulously devoted to one's duties; to fulfill one's obligations with utmost dedication

Definition

A formal chengyu meaning 'to be scrupulously devoted to one's duties,' used in official or written contexts (e.g., civil servants, doctors). Pairs with 尽职 as a verb-object structure rather than 尽责任.

verb
to be scrupulously devoted to one's dutiesto fulfill one's obligations with utmost dedication

Examples

  • ，恪尽职守，。
    Zuò wéi yì míng gōng wù yuán, tā shǐ zhōng kè jìn zhí shǒu, shòu dào tóng shì men de zūn jìng.
    As a civil servant, he has always been scrupulously devoted to his duties, earning the respect of his colleagues.
  • ，恪尽职守，。
    Zài zhè cì rèn wu zhōng, měi wèi duì yuán dōu kè jìn zhí shǒu, què bǎo le xiàng mù shùn lì wán chéng.
    In this mission, every team member fulfilled their duties with utmost dedication, ensuring the project was completed smoothly.
  • 恪尽职守，。
    Yī shēng bì xū kè jìn zhí shǒu, duì měi yí gè shēng mìng fù zé.
    Doctors must be scrupulously devoted to their duties and take responsibility for every life.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

恪尽scrupulously fulfill
恪kèscrupulous尽jìnfulfill
偏正Modifier + head
职守duties and post
职zhíduty守shǒupost
联合Side by side

It combines 恪尽 with 职守, where 恪尽 means scrupulously fulfill and 职守 means duties and post.

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
忄Written in full as心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
各
各gè恪
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

恪 pairs 忄, a form of 心 meaning heart, with 各, which gives it its sound.

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 →

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 職; 职 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
耳耳ěrear
Sound part声符shēngfú
戠
戠zhí職zhí
Same sound today

The traditional form 職 pairs 耳 (ear) with 戠, which gives its sound; the simplified 职 is a shorthand, so its parts are not the historical parts.

Open 职 →

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

  • 宀宀miánroof; building
  • 寸寸cùnhand

守 pairs 宀, a roof or building, with 寸, a hand, to show a hand guarding a place.

Open 守 →

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