夙夜在公

sùyè-zàigōng

idiom

Meanings

1 to work diligently for the public good from dawn to night
2 devoted to public service

Characters

at / engaged in

Examples

HSK 7-9

他夙夜在公，深受群众爱戴。

Tā sùyè-zàigōng, shēnshòu qúnzhòng àidài.

He devotes himself to public duty day and night, deeply loved by the people.

HSK 7-9

这位老干部一生夙夜在公。

Zhè wèi lǎo gànbù yìshēng sùyè-zàigōng.

This veteran official spent his whole life dedicated to public service.

HSK 7-9

作为公务员，应当夙夜在公，尽职尽责。

Zuòwéi gōngwùyuán, yīngdāng sùyè-zàigōng, jìnzhí-jìnzé.

As a civil servant, one should work tirelessly for the public and fulfill every duty.

Tips

history

From the 《诗经·召南·采蘩》 (Classic of Poetry, ~1000 BCE): 被之僮僮，夙夜在公 - describing a noblewoman performing sacrificial duties from dawn to night. Later applied to any tireless public service.

register

Highly formal and literary; mostly appears in official writing, eulogies, and political speeches.

Stroke Order

夙 sù

夜 yè

在 zài

公 gōng