旷日持久 (kuàng rì chí jiǔ) — long-drawn-out, protracted (of events, conflict…

Definition

An idiom meaning a conflict, negotiation, or project drags on for a very long time. Emphasizes duration and stalemate, stronger than just ‘slow’.

idiom

long-drawn-outprotracted (of events, conflicts, or processes)

旷日持久，。
Zhè chǎng zhàn zhēng kuàng rì chí jiǔ, gěi rén mín dài lái le jù dà de tòng kǔ.
This war was protracted and brought immense suffering to the people.
旷日持久，。
Tán pàn kuàng rì chí jiǔ, shuāng fāng shǐ zhōng wú fǎ dá chéng yí zhì.
The negotiations dragged on, and the two sides could never reach an agreement.
旷日持久。
kuàng rì chí jiǔ De gōng chéng ràng tóu zī zhě shī qù le xìn xīn.
The long-drawn-out project caused investors to lose confidence.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 曠; 旷 is its simplified writing.

日廣曠

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

廣

廣guǎng曠kuàng

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 曠 pairs 日 (sun) with 廣 as a sound part; the simplified 旷 is a later shorthand, so its right side is not the historical 廣.

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

日 originally drew the sun. A mark was added inside to tell it apart from similar square shapes.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

寺

寺sì持chí

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

持 combines 手 (hand), for the idea of holding, with 寺, which gives the sound.

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

久 likely came from a simple drawing of an arrow tip.