{"id":7874,"date":"2026-07-30T17:08:36","date_gmt":"2026-07-30T17:08:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/18kenglish.com\/english-idioms-hard-work-determination-10-expressions-you-need-to-know\/"},"modified":"2026-07-30T17:09:46","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T17:09:46","slug":"english-idioms-hard-work-determination-10-expressions-you-need-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/18kenglish.com\/id\/english-idioms-hard-work-determination-10-expressions-you-need-to-know\/","title":{"rendered":"English Idioms: Hard Work & Determination \u2014 10 Expressions You Need to Know"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u82f1\u8a9e\u4e2d\u6709\u8a31\u591a\u751f\u52d5\u7684\u8868\u9054\u65b9\u5f0f\uff0c\u5b8c\u7f8e\u5730\u6355\u6349\u4e86\u52aa\u529b\u5de5\u4f5c\u548c\u5805\u6301\u4e0d\u61c8\u7684\u7cbe\u795e\u3002English is packed with colorful expressions that capture the spirit of hard work and persistence. Whether you’re studying for an exam, working on a big project, or trying to stay motivated, these idioms will help you sound like a natural English speaker. In this article, we explore 10 essential English idioms about hard work and determination<\/strong> \u2014 with meanings, Chinese translations, origins, and example sentences.<\/p>\n

\u9019\u4e9b\u6163\u7528\u8a9e\u5728\u82f1\u8a9e\u6bcd\u8a9e\u8005\u7684\u65e5\u5e38\u5c0d\u8a71\u4e2d\u975e\u5e38\u5e38\u898b\uff0c\u638c\u63e1\u5b83\u5011\u5c07\u5927\u5927\u63d0\u5347\u4f60\u7684\u82f1\u8a9e\u8868\u9054\u80fd\u529b\u3002These expressions appear in offices, classrooms, sports fields, and everyday conversations. Mastering them will help you understand native speakers and express yourself with confidence.<\/p>\n

\"Professional<\/figure>\n

1. Burn the Midnight Oil \u71ac\u591c\u82e6\u5e79<\/h2>\n
\"Student<\/figure>\n

Arti:<\/strong> To work very late into the night in order to complete a task or meet a deadline.<\/p>\n

\u4e2d\u6587\u610f\u601d\uff1a<\/strong>\u6df1\u591c\u5de5\u4f5c\uff1b\u70ba\u4e86\u5b8c\u6210\u4efb\u52d9\u800c\u71ac\u591c\u5230\u5f88\u665a\uff0c\u52aa\u529b\u4e0d\u61c8\u5730\u82e6\u5e79\u3002<\/p>\n

Asal:<\/strong> Before electricity, people used oil lamps to light their homes. “Burning the midnight oil” literally meant keeping a lamp burning past midnight \u2014 a vivid image of late-night hard work. The phrase dates back to poet Francis Quarles in 1635.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcdd Example 1:<\/em> The law student had to burn the midnight oil every night for a week before her final exams.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcdd Example 2:<\/em> “I can tell you’ve been burning the midnight oil,” his manager said, noticing the dark circles under his eyes. \uff08\u4ed6\u7684\u4e3b\u7ba1\u8aaa\uff1a\u300c\u6211\u770b\u5f97\u51fa\u4f60\u4e00\u76f4\u5728\u71ac\u591c\u82e6\u5e79\u3002\u300d\uff09<\/p>\n

2. Go the Extra Mile \u591a\u8d70\u4e00\u54e9\u8def\uff0f\u52a0\u500d\u52aa\u529b<\/h2>\n

Arti:<\/strong> To make more effort than is required; to do more than the minimum to achieve a better result or help someone beyond what is expected.<\/p>\n

\u4e2d\u6587\u610f\u601d\uff1a<\/strong>\u6bd4\u8981\u6c42\u505a\u5f97\u66f4\u591a\uff1b\u4ed8\u51fa\u984d\u5916\u7684\u52aa\u529b\uff0c\u8d85\u8d8a\u4ed6\u4eba\u7684\u671f\u671b\u3002<\/p>\n

Asal:<\/strong> This phrase has its roots in the Bible (Matthew 5:41), where Jesus instructs followers to walk a second mile if compelled to walk one. Over centuries, it became a general expression for exceptional effort.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcdd Example 1:<\/em> Our customer service team always goes the extra mile to make sure every client is satisfied.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcdd Example 2:<\/em> If you want to stand out at work, you need to be willing to go the extra mile. \uff08\u5982\u679c\u4f60\u60f3\u5728\u8077\u5834\u812b\u7a4e\u800c\u51fa\uff0c\u5c31\u5fc5\u9808\u9858\u610f\u52a0\u500d\u52aa\u529b\u3002\uff09<\/p>\n

3. Hit the Ground Running \u7acb\u5373\u5168\u529b\u885d\u523a<\/h2>\n
\"Team<\/figure>\n

Arti:<\/strong> To begin a new project or job with great energy and enthusiasm right from the very start, without needing time to settle in.<\/p>\n

\u4e2d\u6587\u610f\u601d\uff1a<\/strong>\u4e00\u958b\u59cb\u5c31\u4ee5\u5145\u6c9b\u7684\u7cbe\u529b\u548c\u71b1\u60c5\u6295\u5165\u5de5\u4f5c\uff0c\u6beb\u4e0d\u62d6\u5ef6\uff0c\u7acb\u5373\u5168\u529b\u4ee5\u8d74\u3002<\/p>\n

Asal:<\/strong> This phrase likely comes from military history \u2014 soldiers had to immediately run into action the moment they landed after parachuting. It entered widespread civilian usage in the late 20th century.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcdd Example 1:<\/em> She was so well-prepared for the new role that she hit the ground running from day one.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcdd Example 2:<\/em> The new campaign hit the ground running and delivered measurable results within the first week. \uff08\u65b0\u7684\u884c\u92b7\u6d3b\u52d5\u7acb\u5373\u5168\u529b\u885d\u523a\uff0c\u7b2c\u4e00\u9031\u5c31\u53d6\u5f97\u4e86\u986f\u8457\u6210\u6548\u3002\uff09<\/p>\n

4. Pull Your Weight \u76e1\u81ea\u5df1\u7684\u672c\u5206<\/h2>\n

Arti:<\/strong> To do your fair share of work within a group or team; to contribute equally without relying on others to carry your portion of the load.<\/p>\n

\u4e2d\u6587\u610f\u601d\uff1a<\/strong>\u5728\u5718\u968a\u4e2d\u5b8c\u6210\u81ea\u5df1\u61c9\u8ca0\u7684\u5de5\u4f5c\u4efd\u984d\uff1b\u5e73\u7b49\u8ca2\u737b\uff0c\u4e0d\u4f9d\u8cf4\u4ed6\u4eba\u3002<\/p>\n

Asal:<\/strong> The metaphor comes from rowing \u2014 each rower must pull their oar with force proportional to their body weight. If one rower doesn’t pull their weight, the whole crew suffers.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcdd Example 1:<\/em> The manager was frustrated because one team member clearly wasn’t pulling his weight.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcdd Example 2:<\/em> In a startup, everyone needs to pull their weight \u2014 there is simply no room for passengers. \uff08\u5728\u65b0\u5275\u516c\u53f8\u88e1\uff0c\u6bcf\u500b\u4eba\u90fd\u8981\u76e1\u672c\u5206\uff0c\u6c92\u6709\u9592\u4eba\u7684\u4f4d\u7f6e\u3002\uff09<\/p>\n

5. Bite the Bullet \u54ac\u7dca\u7259\u95dc<\/h2>\n
\"Determined<\/figure>\n

Arti:<\/strong> To force yourself to endure a painful or difficult situation with courage and determination; to accept hardship rather than avoid it.<\/p>\n

\u4e2d\u6587\u610f\u601d\uff1a<\/strong>\u54ac\u7dca\u7259\u95dc\u5fcd\u53d7\u75db\u82e6\u6216\u56f0\u96e3\u7684\u8655\u5883\uff1b\u4ee5\u52c7\u6c23\u548c\u6c7a\u5fc3\u9762\u5c0d\u6311\u6230\uff0c\u800c\u4e0d\u662f\u9003\u907f\u3002<\/p>\n

Asal:<\/strong> In the era before modern anesthesia, wounded soldiers during surgery would literally bite down on a bullet to cope with the pain. Rudyard Kipling popularized the figurative use in his 1891 novel The Light That Failed<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcdd Example 1:<\/em> The renovation was going to cost far more than expected, but they decided to bite the bullet and get it done properly.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcdd Example 2:<\/em> I hate early mornings, but I had to bite the bullet and get to the gym at 5:30 AM. \uff08\u6211\u4e0d\u559c\u6b61\u65e9\u8d77\uff0c\u4f46\u6211\u5fc5\u9808\u54ac\u7dca\u7259\u95dc\uff0c\u5728\u65e9\u4e0a\u4e94\u9ede\u534a\u53bb\u5065\u8eab\u623f\u3002\uff09<\/p>\n

6. Knuckle Down \u8a8d\u771f\u6295\u5165\u5de5\u4f5c<\/h2>\n

Arti:<\/strong> To begin working seriously and with full concentration; to stop procrastinating and apply yourself completely to the task at hand.<\/p>\n

\u4e2d\u6587\u610f\u601d\uff1a<\/strong>\u8a8d\u771f\u5168\u529b\u6295\u5165\u5de5\u4f5c\uff1b\u505c\u6b62\u62d6\u5ef6\uff0c\u5168\u795e\u8cab\u6ce8\u5730\u5b8c\u6210\u624b\u982d\u7684\u4efb\u52d9\u3002<\/p>\n

Asal:<\/strong> This phrase comes from the game of marbles. When a player “knuckled down,” they placed their knuckles firmly on the ground to shoot \u2014 a posture of serious commitment. It has been used figuratively since the 18th century.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcdd Example 1:<\/em> With exams just two weeks away, it was finally time for him to knuckle down and stop watching videos all evening.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcdd Example 2:<\/em> Once she truly knuckled down, she finished the entire report in a single afternoon. \uff08\u4e00\u65e6\u5979\u771f\u6b63\u8a8d\u771f\u6295\u5165\uff0c\u4e0b\u5348\u5c31\u628a\u6574\u4efd\u5831\u544a\u5b8c\u6210\u4e86\u3002\uff09<\/p>\n

7. Work Your Fingers to the Bone \u62fc\u547d\u82e6\u5e79<\/h2>\n
\"Hardworking<\/figure>\n

Arti:<\/strong> To work extremely hard, often to the point of exhaustion; to put in a relentless amount of effort over a long period of time without rest.<\/p>\n

\u4e2d\u6587\u610f\u601d\uff1a<\/strong>\u62fc\u547d\u82e6\u5e79\uff0c\u901a\u5e38\u7d2f\u5230\u7cbe\u75b2\u529b\u7aed\uff1b\u9577\u6642\u9593\u4e0d\u4f11\u606f\u5730\u4ed8\u51fa\u6975\u5927\u7684\u52aa\u529b\u3002<\/p>\n

Asal:<\/strong> This vivid hyperbole imagines working so hard that the skin on your fingers wears away to expose the bone \u2014 reflecting the grueling reality of manual labor before the industrial age. The expression has been recorded in English since the 19th century.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcdd Example 1:<\/em> She worked her fingers to the bone for twenty years to put her three children through university.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcdd Example 2:<\/em> The factory workers worked their fingers to the bone, yet their wages barely covered the monthly rent. \uff08\u5de5\u5ee0\u5de5\u4eba\u62fc\u547d\u82e6\u5e79\uff0c\u4f46\u5de5\u8cc7\u537b\u5e7e\u4e4e\u4e0d\u5920\u652f\u4ed8\u6bcf\u6708\u623f\u79df\u3002\uff09<\/p>\n

8. Hang in There \u5805\u6301\u4e0b\u53bb<\/h2>\n

Arti:<\/strong> To persist and remain positive through a difficult situation; to not give up even when things are tough and results are slow in coming.<\/p>\n

\u4e2d\u6587\u610f\u601d\uff1a<\/strong>\u5728\u56f0\u96e3\u7684\u8655\u5883\u4e2d\u5805\u6301\u4e0b\u53bb\uff0c\u4fdd\u6301\u7a4d\u6975\u7684\u614b\u5ea6\uff1b\u5373\u4f7f\u60c5\u6cc1\u8271\u96e3\u4e5f\u4e0d\u653e\u68c4\u3002<\/p>\n

Asal:<\/strong> The phrase evokes someone literally hanging on \u2014 gripping tightly and refusing to let go despite the strain. It became widely popular in the 1970s through an iconic motivational poster featuring a cat clinging to a branch above the words “Hang in there, baby!”<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcdd Example 1:<\/em> “Hang in there,” his coach said. “The first month of training is always the hardest \u2014 it gets better.”<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcdd Example 2:<\/em> The first year of a new business is incredibly tough \u2014 you just have to hang in there. \uff08\u5275\u696d\u7b2c\u4e00\u5e74\u975e\u5e38\u8271\u96e3\u2014\u2014\u4f60\u53ea\u9700\u8981\u5805\u6301\u4e0b\u53bb\u3002\uff09<\/p>\n

9. Roll Up Your Sleeves \u6e96\u5099\u5927\u5e79\u4e00\u5834<\/h2>\n
\"Person<\/figure>\n

Arti:<\/strong> To prepare yourself to work hard; to get ready to tackle a difficult task with full effort and a hands-on attitude, moving from planning into action.<\/p>\n

\u4e2d\u6587\u610f\u601d\uff1a<\/strong>\u6372\u8d77\u8896\u5b50\uff0c\u6e96\u5099\u597d\u52aa\u529b\u5de5\u4f5c\uff1b\u4ee5\u7a4d\u6975\u52d5\u624b\u7684\u614b\u5ea6\u9762\u5c0d\u8271\u96e3\u4efb\u52d9\uff0c\u5f9e\u8a08\u5283\u8f49\u70ba\u884c\u52d5\u3002<\/p>\n

Asal:<\/strong> The image is entirely literal \u2014 when people prepare for physical labor, they roll up their sleeves to keep them clean. The gesture signals a clear transition from thinking to doing, from hesitation to committed action.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcdd Example 1:<\/em> It was going to be a challenging project, but the whole team rolled up their sleeves and got it done ahead of schedule.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcdd Example 2:<\/em> There’s no quick fix here \u2014 we just need to roll up our sleeves and work through it. \uff08\u9019\u88e1\u6c92\u6709\u6377\u5f91\u2014\u2014\u6211\u5011\u53ea\u9700\u8981\u6372\u8d77\u8896\u5b50\uff0c\u4e00\u6b65\u4e00\u6b65\u89e3\u6c7a\u554f\u984c\u3002\uff09<\/p>\n

10. Put Your Nose to the Grindstone \u57cb\u982d\u82e6\u5e79<\/h2>\n

Arti:<\/strong> To work continuously, diligently, and without distraction; to maintain consistent, focused effort on a task over an extended period of time.<\/p>\n

\u4e2d\u6587\u610f\u601d\uff1a<\/strong>\u57cb\u982d\u82e6\u5e79\uff0c\u6301\u7e8c\u5c08\u6ce8\u5730\u5de5\u4f5c\uff1b\u9577\u6642\u9593\u4e0d\u9593\u65b7\u5730\u52aa\u529b\u5b8c\u6210\u4e00\u9805\u4efb\u52d9\uff0c\u6beb\u4e0d\u5206\u5fc3\u3002<\/p>\n

Asal:<\/strong> A grindstone is a large flat rotating stone used to sharpen tools. “Putting your nose to the grindstone” originally described a craftsman leaning closely over their work \u2014 intense focus and non-stop dedication. The phrase has been recorded in English since at least the 16th century.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcdd Example 1:<\/em> If you put your nose to the grindstone this semester, you will be ready for the national proficiency exam.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcdd Example 2:<\/em> It took three years of putting her nose to the grindstone, but she launched her own successful business. \uff08\u5979\u57cb\u982d\u82e6\u5e79\u4e86\u4e09\u5e74\uff0c\u7d42\u65bc\u6210\u529f\u5275\u7acb\u4e86\u81ea\u5df1\u7684\u7db2\u8def\u4e8b\u696d\u3002\uff09<\/p>\n

Watch & Learn: Hard Work Idioms in Action<\/h2>\n
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