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精疲力竭 (jīng pí lì jié) — completely exhausted, spent, drained (idiomatic)

Definition

A vivid chengyu for total exhaustion — stronger and more literary than 疲惫. 无精打采 describes low energy/mood, while this phrase means the body is completely spent.

phrase
completely exhaustedspentdrained (idiomatic)

Examples

  • ，精疲力竭。
    Lián xù jiā bān sān tiān hòu, tā gǎn dào jīng pí lì jié.
    After working overtime for three days straight, he felt completely exhausted.
  • ，精疲力竭。
    Pǎo wán yì chǎng mǎ lā sōng hòu, dà jiā dōu jīng pí lì jié le.
    Everyone was utterly spent after finishing a marathon.
  • ，，精疲力竭。
    Wèi le bèi kǎo, tā měi tiān zhī shuì sān xiǎo shí, zuì hòu jīng pí lì jié.
    To prepare for the exam, she only slept three hours a day and ended up completely drained.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

精疲spirit weary
精jīngspirit疲píweary
主谓Subject + predicate
力竭strength exhausted
力lìstrength竭jiéexhausted
主谓Subject + predicate

「精疲」 says spirit is weary and 「力竭」 says strength is spent, together meaning completely exhausted.

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
米米mǐrice
Sound part声符shēngfú
青
青qīng精jīng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

精 pairs 米 (rice) with 青, which gives the sound; the character originally meant polished rice.

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
疒疒nèsick
Sound part声符shēngfú
皮
皮pí疲
Same sound today

疲 pairs 疒, which shows illness, with 皮, which gives its sound; the character means sick and tired.

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.

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.

Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Idioms & Set PhrasesIllness & Symptoms

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