夜以继日

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: yè yǐ jì rì
• English Translation: to work day and night, to work around the clock, to work non-stop day and night
• Idiom Composition: 「夜」（night）＋「以」（with, by means of）＋「继」（to continue, to succeed）＋「日」（day）
• Meaning: To continue night into day, meaning to carry on activities through the night as if it were day (without rest). It describes being deeply absorbed in an activity without distinguishing between day and night.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「夜以继日」 contains the following nuances:

• Continuity of time: Emphasizes that activities continue without interruption, making no distinction between night and day.
• Dedication and devotion: Describes approaching a goal or task with great enthusiasm and dedication.
• Urgency and importance: May suggest that the activity is urgent or highly important.
• Emphasis on effort: Highlights the earnest effort made by spending a lot of time and energy.

3. Usage

「夜以继日」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Dedication to work or study: Describes earnestly engaging in work, research, or study regardless of day or night.
  • Example:「为了完成这个项目，他夜以继日地工作。」
    （To complete this project, he worked day and night without rest.）
• Preparation and practice: Describes earnestly preparing or practicing for exams, competitions, etc.
  • Example:「学生们夜以继日地复习，准备即将到来的考试。」
    （Students are studying day and night to prepare for their upcoming exams.）
• Emergency response: Describes working without rest in urgent situations such as disaster relief or medical activities.
  • Example:「医生夜以继日地工作，救治病人。」
    （The doctors are working around the clock to save patients.）

Additional Examples:

1. 科研团队夜以继日地进行实验，希望早日取得突破。
   （The research team continues experiments day and night to achieve a breakthrough as soon as possible.）
2. 她夜以继日地练习，终于在比赛中获得了优异的成绩。
   （She practiced day and night and finally achieved excellent results in the competition.）
3. 为了按时完成订单，工人们夜以继日地加班。
   （To complete orders on time, the workers are working night into day with overtime.）
4. 在抗洪抢险的前线，战士们夜以继日地奋战，保卫人民的生命财产安全。
   （At the frontline of flood prevention, soldiers are fighting day and night to protect people's lives and property.）
5. 他为了实现自己的梦想，夜以继日地努力，从不懈怠。
   （He never neglects to work day and night to realize his dream.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• Emphasis on diligence: In Chinese culture, diligence is considered a very important virtue. '夜以继日' is an idiom that reflects this value system and is used to praise the attitude of working hard to achieve goals.
• Concerns about overwork: On the other hand, overwork is often seen as a problem in modern society, and '夜以继日' is not always used in a positive sense. Depending on the context, it can also serve as a caution against excessive effort that harms one's health.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 废寝忘食 (fèi qǐn wàng shí): To be so absorbed in something that one forgets to sleep and eat.
  • 通宵达旦 (tōng xiāo dá dàn): To continue all night until morning.
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 游手好闲 (yóu shǒu hǎo xián): To wander around doing nothing; to be lazy.
  • 懒散懈怠 (lǎn sǎn xiè dài): To be slack and unmotivated.

6. Summary

'夜以继日' is an idiom that describes earnestly engaging in an activity day and night without distinction. It reflects the Chinese cultural value of diligence and is used to praise the attitude of working hard to achieve goals. However, it's important to note that due to concerns about overwork, it's not necessarily used only in a positive sense. It's important to judge its meaning appropriately according to the context.