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想方设法 (xiǎng fāng shè fǎ) — to try every possible means; to exhaust all methods; (idiom) by hook or by crook

Definition

Idiom meaning 'to try every possible method'. Nearly synonymous with 千方百计 — both mean 'by hook or by crook', but 想方设法 leans slightly more toward actively brainstorming and devising new approaches.

phrase
to try every possible meansto exhaust all methods
idiom
by hook or by crook

Examples

  • ，想方设法。
    Wèi le zhǎo dào gōng zuò, tā xiǎng fāng shè fǎ dì tóu le hěn duō jiǎn lì.
    To find a job, he tried every possible way and submitted many resumes.
  • 想方设法，。
    Dà jiā xiǎng fāng shè fǎ, zhōng yú jiě jué le zhè ge wèn tí.
    Everyone tried every possible method and finally solved this problem.
  • 想方设法。
    Gōng sī xiǎng fāng shè fǎ dì tí gāo chǎn pǐn zhì liàng.
    The company is trying every possible means to improve product quality.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

想方think of a way
想xiǎngthink方fāngway
动宾Verb + object
设法devise a method
设shèdevise法fǎmethod
动宾Verb + object

想方 means think of a way and 设法 means devise a method, so together they mean to try every possible means.

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
心心xīnheart, mind
Sound part声符shēngfú
相
相xiāng想xiǎng
Same sound today

想 has 心 (heart, mind) below 相 (to look at); the shape shows the mind looking at or considering something, and 相 also gives the sound.

Open 想 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 方 →

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 設; 设 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
埶
埶yì設shè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 設 uses 言 (speech) to show the meaning and 埶 to give the sound; this explanation is for 設, not the simplified 设.

Open 设 →

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
廌廌zhìa type of antelope or caprid
Sound part声符shēngfú
盍
盍hé法fǎ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

法's older form combined 氵 (water) and 廌 (a type of antelope or caprid), with 盍 as a sound part; later 廌 was dropped.

Open 法 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Idioms & Set PhrasesThinking & Cognition

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.