Chinese Idiom: 发愤忘食 (Fa Fen Wang Shi)
English Translation: Resolve to work hard and forget to eat
pīn yīn: fā fèn wàng shí
Idiom Meaning: This idiom describes someone who is so dedicated and absorbed in their work or study that they forget to eat. It emphasizes extreme diligence and focus.
Historical Source: The Analects of Confucius (《论语》), specifically from the chapter Shu Er (《述而》).
Idiom Story:
During the late Spring and Autumn period, Confucius traveled with his students to various states to promote his political ideas and teachings. One day, while traveling from the state of Cai to the state of Chu, they passed through a place called Ye. The local officials, intrigued by Confucius’s reputation, sought to learn more about him from his student, Zilu.
Zilu, however, struggled to provide a satisfactory answer about Confucius’s character. When Confucius learned of this, he remarked to Zilu, “Why did you not describe him as one who is so dedicated to his studies that he forgets to eat, finds joy to the extent that he forgets his worries, and is so engrossed in learning that he does not notice the approach of old age?”
Confucius’s description of his own dedication and passion for learning was captured in the idiom “发愤忘食.” This phrase has since come to symbolize intense dedication and industriousness, where one’s commitment to a cause or pursuit is so profound that it eclipses basic needs and concerns.
