work by fits and starts; lack perseverance
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesverb
to work by fits and starts; to lack perseverance
Literally describes fishing for three days then drying nets for two; implies irregular, sporadic effort. Often used to criticize inconsistent study or work habits.
Xué学
xí习
wài外
yǔ语
yào要
chí持
zhī之
yǐ以
héng恒
，
bù不
néng能
sān三
tiān天
dǎ打
yú鱼
，
liǎng两
tiān天
shài晒
wǎng网
。
Learning a foreign language requires persistence; you cannot work by fits and starts.
Tā他
jiàn健
shēn身
zǒng总
shì是
sān三
tiān天
dǎ打
yú鱼
，
liǎng两
tiān天
shài晒
wǎng网
，
suǒ所
yǐ以
yī一
zhí直
méi没
shén什
me么
xiào效
guǒ果
。
He always works out sporadically, so he has never seen much result.
Show 1 more exampleShow fewer examples
Zuò做
yán研
jiū究
bù不
néng能
sān三
tiān天
dǎ打
yú鱼
，
liǎng两
tiān天
shài晒
wǎng网
，
bì必
xū须
cháng长
qī期
jiān坚
chí持
。
Research cannot be done in fits and starts; it requires long-term persistence.