每天成语
background texture
< 不言而喻患得患失 >

争分夺秒

*The explanations on this page are generated by AI. Please note that they may contain inaccurate information.

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: zhēng fēn duó miǎo
  • English Translation: Racing against time (making every second count)
  • Idiom Composition: 「争」（To contend, strive, or fight for.）＋「分」（Minute (a unit of time).）＋「夺」（To seize, snatch, or take by force.）＋「秒」（Second (a unit of time).）
  • Meaning: To make use of every minute and second; to work with extreme urgency to seize every moment, especially when facing a deadline or emergency.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「争分夺秒」 contains the following nuances:

  • Urgency and Immediacy: Unlike a passive attitude of 'valuing time,' this idiom emphasizes an active, almost aggressive effort to 'snatch' time from the clock in high-pressure situations.
  • Competitive Nuance: The use of the verbs 争 (zhēng) and 夺 (duó) suggests a battle against time itself, or against rivals and disasters, highlighting a competitive spirit.
  • High Concentration: It implies a state of total focus where the person is not distracted by anything else, pouring all their energy into the task at hand.

3. Usage

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

  • Emergencies and Rescue Operations: Most frequently used in life-or-death situations like disaster relief or medical emergencies where every moment matters.
    • Example:「医生们争分夺秒地抢救伤员。」
      （Doctors are racing against time to save the injured.)
  • Deadlines and Final Sprints: Used when a team or individual is working intensely to complete a task before a strict cutoff point.
    • Example:「为了赶在截止日期前完成任务，团队成员都在争分夺秒地工作。」
      （To meet the deadline, the team members are making every second count.)
  • Academic Study and Research: Used to praise the diligent attitude of students or researchers who do not waste a single moment of their time.
    • Example:「高三学生正在争分夺秒地复习，准备迎接高考。」
      （High school seniors are racing against the clock to review for the College Entrance Exam (高考).)

Additional Examples:

  1. 消防队员争分夺秒，终于在大火蔓延前救出了被困群众。
    （Firefighters raced against time and finally rescued the trapped people before the fire spread.）
  2. 这是一场争分夺秒的比赛，谁先完成谁就是冠军。
    （This is a race where you must make every second count; whoever finishes first is the winner.）
  3. 我们要争分夺秒地发展科技，才能赶超世界先进水平。
    （We must race against the clock to develop technology to catch up with and surpass world standards.）
  4. 虽然离发车只有十分钟了，但他还是争分夺秒地跑向车站。
    （Even though there were only ten minutes left before departure, he still raced against time to the station.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • This idiom is a relatively modern expression, reflecting the increased pace and the high value placed on efficiency in contemporary competitive society.
  • It is frequently used as a motivational slogan in schools, factories, or construction sites, such as 争分夺秒，大干快上 (zhēng fēn duó miǎo, dà gàn kuài shàng), which means 'Race against time and work with great vigor.'
  • While not an ancient fable, its spirit is often linked to the official Tao Kan (陶侃) of the Jin Dynasty (晋), who famously said that while sages cherish every 'inch' of time, ordinary people should cherish every 'minute'—a concept known as 惜分阴 (xī fēn yīn).

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

6. Summary

争分夺秒 (zhēng fēn duó miǎo) is a proactive and positive idiom used to describe situations where time is of the essence. It conveys a determined attitude to 'seize' or 'snatch' time rather than just managing it. It is frequently used in contexts such as emergency rescues, intense exam preparation, or meeting critical project deadlines.

Featured in the Chuken exam (Japan's Chinese test)Level 1Pre-Level 1

Idiom Essay

zhēng fēn duó miǎo
争分夺秒
Racing Against Time
nǐ你yǒu méi yǒu有没有guò过zhè yàng这样de的shí kè时刻？

Have you ever had a moment like this?

kàn看zhe着shí zhōng时钟shàng上de的zhǐ zhēn指针bù tíng不停dì地zhuǎn dòng转动，xīn lǐ心里huì会tū rán突然shēng chū生出yī zhǒng一种qiáng liè强烈de的jǐn pò紧迫gǎn感。

Watching the hands of the clock turn incessantly, a strong sense of urgency suddenly arises in your heart.

yě xǔ也许shì是kǎo shì考试jié shù结束qián前de的zuì hòu最后shí fēn zhōng十分钟，yě xǔ也许shì是gǎn赶zài在huǒ chē火车kāi dòng开动qián前chōng冲jìn进zhàn tái站台de的nà那yī kè一刻。

Perhaps it is the last ten minutes before an exam ends, or the moment you rush onto the platform just before the train departs.

zài在nà那duǎn duǎn短短de的yī shùn jiān一瞬间，shí jiān时间hǎo xiàng好像bù zài不再shì是wú xíng无形de的kōng qì空气，ér而biàn chéng变成le了bì xū必须yòng lì用力qù去zhuā zhù抓住de的dōng xī东西。

In that brief instant, time no longer feels like invisible air, but becomes something you must grasp with all your might.

zhōng wén中文lǐ里，yǒu有yí gè一个chōng mǎn充满lì liàng力量de的chéng yǔ成语，zhuān mén专门yòng lái用来xíng róng形容zhè zhǒng这种zhuàng tài状态，jiào叫“zhēng fēn duó miǎo争分夺秒”。

In Chinese, there is a powerful idiom used specifically to describe this state, called 争分夺秒.

zhè ge这个cí词de的huà miàn画面gǎn感hěn很qiáng强。

This phrase has a very strong sense of imagery.

qǐng请zhù yì注意tā它yòng用dào到de的liǎng两gè个dòng cí动词：“zhēng争”hé和“duó夺”。

Please note the two verbs it uses: 争 and 夺.

“zhēng争”，shì是zhēng qǔ争取、jìng zhēng竞争；“duó夺”，shì是qiǎng duó抢夺。

争 means to strive or compete; 夺 means to seize or snatch.

bǎ把tā men它们fàng放zài在“fēn分”hé和“miǎo秒”miàn qián面前，yì si意思jiù就biàn dé变得hěn很jī liè激烈le了：nǎ pà哪怕shì是yī fēn一分yī miǎo一秒，yě也yào要xiàng像qiǎng duó抢夺zhēn bǎo珍宝yī yàng一样，bǎ把tā它qiǎng抢huí lái回来。

Placing them before 分 and 秒 makes the meaning very intense: even a single minute or second must be snatched back like a precious treasure.

wǒ men我们píng shí平时cháng常shuō说“ān pái安排shí jiān时间”huò zhě或者“guǎn lǐ管理shí jiān时间”，nà那tīng qǐ lái听起来shì是hěn很cóng róng从容de的。

We often say "arrange time" or "manage time," which sounds very composed.

dàn但“zhēng fēn duó miǎo争分夺秒”wán quán完全bù tóng不同。

But 争分夺秒 is completely different.

tā它miáo shù描述de的shì是yī zhǒng一种gāo qiáng dù高强度de的tóu rù投入。

It describes a high-intensity level of commitment.

zhè zhǒng这种zhuàng tài状态tōng cháng通常bú huì不会chū xiàn出现zài在yōu xián悠闲de的zhōu mò周末，ér shì而是chū xiàn出现zài在nà xiē那些zhēn zhèng真正guān jiàn关键de的shí kè时刻。

This state usually doesn't appear on a leisurely weekend, but rather at those truly critical moments.

bǐ rú比如，yī shēng医生zài在shǒu shù tái手术台shàng上qiǎng jiù抢救bìng rén病人，huò zhě或者gōng chéng shī工程师zài在fā shè发射qián前jiě jué解决zuì hòu最后de的wèn tí问题。

For example, a doctor saving a patient on the operating table, or an engineer solving the final problem before a launch.

zài在zhè xiē这些shí hòu时候，shí jiān时间jiù shì就是jī huì机会，shèn zhì甚至jiù shì就是shēng mìng生命。

At these times, time is opportunity, or even life itself.

suǒ yǐ所以，“zhēng fēn duó miǎo争分夺秒”bù jǐn jǐn不仅仅shì是zài在shuō说“kuài快”。

Therefore, 争分夺秒 is not just about being "fast."

tā它qí shí其实shì是zài在shuō说：dāng当mù biāo目标zú gòu足够zhòng yào重要de的shí hòu时候，wǒ men我们bù不yuàn yì愿意làng fèi浪费nǎ pà哪怕yī shùn jiān一瞬间de的kě néng xìng可能性。

It is actually saying: when a goal is important enough, we are unwilling to waste even a split second of possibility.

dāng rán当然，rén人bù不kě néng可能yǒng yuǎn永远chù zài处在“zhēng fēn duó miǎo争分夺秒”de的zhuàng tài状态lǐ里，nà yàng那样tài太lèi累le了。

Of course, people cannot always be in a state of 争分夺秒; that would be too exhausting.

dàn但zhè ge这个chéng yǔ成语tí xǐng提醒wǒ men我们，rén人què shí确实yōng yǒu拥有yī zhǒng一种bào fā lì爆发力。

But this idiom reminds us that humans do possess an explosive power.

dāng当wǒ men我们zhēn zhèng真正xiǎng yào想要zuò chéng做成yī jiàn一件shì事de的shí hòu时候，wǒ men我们shì是yǒu有néng lì能力hé和liú shì流逝de的shí jiān时间jìn xíng进行yī cháng一场bǐ sài比赛de的。

When we truly want to accomplish something, we have the ability to race against the passing time.

xià cì下次，dāng当nǐ你bù dé bù不得不wèi le为了yí gè一个mù biāo目标quán lì全力chōng cì冲刺de的shí hòu时候，nǐ你kě yǐ可以gào sù告诉zì jǐ自己：xiàn zài现在de的wǒ我，zhèng zài正在zhēng fēn duó miǎo争分夺秒。

Next time, when you have to sprint with all your might for a goal, you can tell yourself: right now, I am 争分夺秒.

'造句' Feature Usage Guide

造句练习📝

Try creating sentences using '争分夺秒'!

0/50