争分夺秒

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: zhēng fēn duó miǎo
• English Translation: To race against time, to seize every minute and second
• Idiom Composition: 「争」（To contend, to strive for）＋「分」（Minute）＋「夺」（To seize, to snatch）＋「秒」（Second）
• Meaning: Describes making the most of every minute and second without wasting any time. It refers to the urgent effort to create or save time in situations where time is limited or pressing.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「争分夺秒」 contains the following nuances:

• Time urgency: Describes a situation where time is extremely limited and there is no room for delay.
• Maximum effort: Shows a strong determination to use all available time to achieve a goal.
• Pursuit of efficiency: Represents an attitude of eliminating all waste and acting efficiently to save or create time.
• Competitive awareness: May include the awareness of gaining an advantage in competition with others or against time.

3. Usage

「争分夺秒」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Emergency situation: Used to describe rescue efforts and responses in urgent situations such as accidents or disasters where every second counts.
  • Example:「地震发生后，救援人员争分夺秒地搜救幸存者。」
    （After the earthquake, rescue workers raced against time to search for survivors.）
• Approaching deadline: Describes the desperate effort to work hard when a deadline for work or exams is approaching.
  • Example:「为了赶上项目进度，团队成员们都在争分夺秒地工作。」
    （To catch up with the project schedule, team members are all seizing every minute and second to work.）
• Highly competitive situation: Refers to efforts to gain an advantage in highly competitive situations such as sports or business.
  • Example:「比赛进入最后阶段，双方选手都在争分夺秒，力争取得胜利。」
    （The game entered its final stage, and both players were racing against time to win.）

Additional Examples:

1. 考试临近，学生们都在争分夺秒地复习。
   （As the exam approached, students were all racing against time to review.）
2. 为了按时完成项目，团队成员争分夺秒地工作。
   （To complete the project on time, team members are seizing every minute and second to work.）
3. 医生在抢救病人时，争分夺秒地进行手术。
   （Doctors are racing against time to perform surgery to save patients.）
4. 比赛进入最后阶段，双方队员都在争分夺秒地进攻。
   （The game entered its final stage, and both teams were racing against time to attack.）
5. 面对即将截止的报告，他争分夺秒地完成最后一部分。
   （Facing the impending report deadline, he was racing against time to complete the final part.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• Awareness of punctuality: In Chinese culture, punctuality is highly valued, and '争分夺秒' reflects this strong awareness of time.
• Emphasis on efficiency: With China's recent economic development, prioritizing efficiency has become widespread. '争分夺秒' is increasingly used in this social context.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 刻不容缓 (kè bù róng huǎn): Not a moment to lose, urgent.
  • 分秒必争 (fēn miǎo bì zhēng): To seize every minute and second, not to waste a single moment.
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 慢条斯理 (màn tiáo sī lǐ): Slow and deliberate, unhurried.
  • 拖泥带水 (tuō ní dài shuǐ): Sloppy and inefficient, procrastinating.

6. Summary

'争分夺秒' is an idiom reflecting the heightened awareness of time and emphasis on efficiency in modern Chinese society. Using this phrase involves recognizing not only the meaning of hurrying but also the strong will, effort, and serious attitude of not wasting a single minute or second.