重中之重

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: zhòng zhōng zhī zhòng
• English Translation: The priority of priorities (the most important of all)
• Idiom Composition: 「重」（Important or heavy）＋「中」（Among or in the middle of）＋「之」（A classical particle indicating possession (similar to 'of')）＋「重」（An important matter）
• Meaning: Refers to the most critical or highest priority item among several important matters. It emphasizes that while many things are important, this specific one is the absolute core that must be addressed first.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「重中之重」 contains the following nuances:

• Superlative Emphasis: The structure 'Important (重) within (中) the Important (重)' creates a superlative effect, indicating an absolute first-place ranking in a hierarchy of needs.
• Context of Comparison: The use of this idiom implies that while other factors are significant and cannot be ignored, this specific one stands in a class of its own regarding its impact on success.

3. Usage

「重中之重」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Policy and Business Strategy: Used in formal settings like government policies, corporate strategies, or project management to identify the core objective that requires the most resources.
  • Example:「安全生产是这次工程项目的重中之重，绝对不能忽视。」
    （Safety in production is the top priority of this engineering project and must never be neglected.）
• Education and Learning: Used to point out the most critical sections of a curriculum or exam syllabus that students must master.
  • Example:「复习的时候要分清主次，这一章的内容是考试的重中之重。」
    （When reviewing, you should distinguish between primary and secondary tasks; the content of this chapter is the most critical part of the exam.）

Additional Examples:

1. 解决就业问题是当前政府工作的重中之重。
   （Solving the employment problem is the top priority of the current government's work.）
2. 保护客户隐私是我们公司的重中之重。
   （Protecting customer privacy is the most important thing of all for our company.）
3. 在所有任务中，按时交付产品是重中之重。
   （Among all tasks, delivering the product on time is the highest priority.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• Modern Usage: Unlike many idioms derived from ancient fables, 重中之重 (zhòng zhōng zhī zhòng) is a modern construction frequently used in contemporary Chinese news, politics, and business documents.
• Register: While it can be used in daily speech, it is particularly favored in formal contexts such as speeches, meetings, and official reports. It carries more weight than simple terms like 关键 (guān jiàn) or 核心 (hé xīn) by explicitly emphasizing the hierarchy of importance.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 当务之急 (dāng wù zhī jí): A pressing matter; a task that requires immediate attention.link
  • 首当其冲 (shǒu dāng qí chōng): To be the first to bear the brunt of an attack or disaster (often used to denote being at the forefront of an issue).
  • 至关重要 (zhì guān zhòng yào): Extremely important or crucial.link
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 无足轻重 (wú zú qīng zhòng): Insignificant; of little consequence or importance.link
  • 细枝末节 (xì zhī mò jié): Minor details; non-essential parts of a matter.
  • 微不足道 (wēi bù zú dào): Something is too small or insignificant to be worth mentioning.link
  • 无关紧要 (wú guān jǐn yào): Of no importance or consequence.link

6. Summary

重中之重 (zhòng zhōng zhī zhòng) is a modern Chinese idiom used to highlight the absolute top priority in a given context. Frequently appearing in business, politics, and news, it signifies the 'core of the core' where resources and attention must be focused above all else.