to write diligently; toiling at writing
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesverb
to write diligently on grid paper; to toil at writing
informalA vivid metaphor describing the painstaking, often repetitive work of writing (such as for authors, journalists, or students). It implies writing by hand on lined or grid paper, reminiscent of older writing practices, though the term can still be used for diligent writing work in general.
Tā他
nián年
qīng轻
shí时
，
měi每
tiān天
zài在
shū书
fáng房
lǐ里
pá爬
gé格
zi子
，
zhōng终
yú于
wán完
chéng成
le了
nà那
bù部
xiǎo小
shuō说
。
When he was young, he toiled at writing every day in his study and finally finished that novel.
Zhè这
fèn份
gōng工
zuò作
jiù就
shì是
bù不
tíng停
de地
pá爬
gé格
zi子
，
wèi为
bào报
zhǐ纸
xiě写
zhuān专
lán栏
wén文
zhāng章
。
This job is all about laboring away at writing, producing column articles for the newspaper.
Show 2 more examplesShow fewer examples
Lǎo老
yī一
bèi辈
zuò作
jiā家
dōu都
shì是
kào靠
pá爬
gé格
zi子
，
yí一
gè个
zì字
yí一
gè个
zì字
mó磨
chū出
lái来
de的
。
Writers of the older generation all relied on grinding it out word by word at their desks.
Zài在
zhè这
gè个
diàn电
nǎo脑
shí时
dài代
，
yǐ已
jīng经
hěn很
shǎo少
yǒu有
rén人
tǐ体
yàn验
guò过
zhēn真
zhèng正
pá爬
gé格
zi子
de的
xīn辛
kǔ苦
le了
。
In this computer age, very few people have experienced the real hardship of writing by hand on grid paper.