story perseverance diligence effort

"悬梁刺股" (xuán liáng cì gǔ) - Hanging from the Beam and Pricking the Thigh

悬梁刺股

To suspend oneself from the ceiling by one's hair and prick one's thigh with an awl; to study with extraordinary diligence and self-discipline.

Story

The idiom "悬梁刺股" (xuán liáng cì gǔ) combines two separate stories of extreme diligence.

  • 悬梁 (xuán liáng): This part of the idiom comes from the Imperial Readings of the Taiping Era (Tai Ping Yu Lan 太平御览), which quotes the Book of Han (Han Shu 汉书). It tells the story of Sun Jing (孙敬) of the Han Dynasty. To prevent himself from falling asleep while studying at night, he tied his hair to a beam on the ceiling. If he nodded off, the pulling of his hair would wake him up.

  • 刺股 (cì gǔ): This part comes from the Strategies of the Warring States (Zhan Guo Ce 战国策), specifically "Qin Strategies I" (秦策一). It tells the story of Su Qin (苏秦) of the Warring States period. He was a renowned diplomat who studied tirelessly. To avoid drowsiness, he would prick his thigh with an awl, using the pain to keep himself awake.

These two stories combined create the powerful image of "悬梁刺股," symbolizing unwavering dedication to learning.

Meaning and Usage

"悬梁刺股" literally translates to "hanging from the beam and pricking the thigh." It describes an extremely diligent and self-disciplined approach to study or any other pursuit. It is used to praise someone's extraordinary efforts and commitment.

  • Example (Describing a student's hard work): “为了考上理想的大学，他每天都悬梁刺股地学习。” (“Wèi le kǎo shàng lǐxiǎng de dàxué, tā měitiān dōu xuán liáng cì gǔ de xuéxí.”) – “To get into his dream university, he studied every day with the spirit of ‘hanging from the beam and pricking the thigh.’”

  • Example (Encouraging someone to be more diligent): “想要取得成功，就必须要有悬梁刺股的精神。” (“Xiǎng yào qǔdé chénggōng, jiù bìxū yào yǒu xuán liáng cì gǔ de jīngshén.”) – “If you want to achieve success, you must have the spirit of ‘hanging from the beam and pricking the thigh.’”

Cultural Significance of Chéngyǔ (成语)

"悬梁刺股" emphasizes the importance of:

  • Extreme Diligence and Self-Discipline: It highlights the value of extraordinary effort and unwavering commitment in pursuing one's goals.
  • Overcoming Obstacles: It demonstrates the lengths people will go to overcome obstacles and achieve their ambitions.
  • 废寝忘食 (fèi qǐn wàng shí): To neglect sleep and forget about food; to be completely absorbed in one's work.
  • 孜孜不倦 (zī zī bù juàn): To be diligent and tireless.