Definition
下功夫 is a set phrase meaning 'to put sustained effort into something', often over a long period. It differs from 出力 (chū lì), which means 'to exert physical or practical effort' in a more immediate sense — 下功夫 emphasizes time and dedication, while 出力 focuses on contributing force or labor.
phrase
to put in effortto devote time and energy (to something)
Examples
- 下功夫。Xué shūfǎ xūyào chángqī xià gōng fu.Learning calligraphy requires long-term effort.
- 。Tā zài gāngqín shàng xià le hěn duō gōngfu.She put a lot of effort into learning piano.
- ？Nǐ zài zhè xiàng gōngzuò shàng xià gōng fu le ma?Have you put effort into this task?
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