meticulous effort; painstaking work
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesnoun
meticulous and painstaking effort; patient and precise work
This idiom likens careful work to the slow, precise process of water-grinding (polishing with water and abrasive), emphasizing patience and attention to detail.
Yào要
zuò做
hǎo好
zhè这
jiàn件
cí瓷
qì器
，
fēi非
děi得
xià下
fān番
shuǐ水
mó磨
gōng工
fu夫
bù不
kě可
。
To make this piece of porcelain well, you absolutely must put in painstaking effort.
Tā他
de的
wén文
zhāng章
dōu都
shì是
jīng经
guò过
shuǐ水
mó磨
gōng工
fu夫
tuī推
qiāo敲
chū出
lái来
de的
。
His articles are all crafted through meticulous polishing and refinement.
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Zhè这
bù不
shì是
yī一
tiān天
liǎng两
tiān天
néng能
wán完
chéng成
de的
shì事
，
xū需
yào要
cháng长
qī期
de的
shuǐ水
mó磨
gōng工
fu夫
。
This isn't something that can be completed in a day or two; it requires long-term patient effort.