朝乾夕惕

zhāoqiánxītì
idiom

Meanings

  1. 1 diligent and vigilant from morning till night (idiom)
  2. 2 tirelessly conscientious

Examples

Tā zài zhíwèi shàng zhāoqiánxītì, cóng bù xièdài.
In his post he was conscientious from dawn to dusk, never slacking.
Wèi guān zhě dāng zhāoqiánxītì, zàofú bǎixìng.
Those who hold office should be tirelessly diligent and bring benefit to the people.

Tips

history
From the Book of Changes (《·》): 君子终日 — 'the gentleman strives all day long, vigilant by evening as if facing danger; no blame.' Often used in imperial edicts and self-evaluations as a stock phrase of dutiful officials.
register
Highly literary — reserve for written or formal speech, especially praise of officials, leaders, or ancestors. The Yongzheng Emperor famously misquoted this phrase as in a memorial response, generating decades of historical gossip about whether it was a slip or a snub.

Stroke Order

cháo
qián