諺語 · a single proverb
專心致志
Simplified: 专心致志
What does 專心致志 (zhuān xīn zhì zhì) mean?
專心致志 (zhuān xīn zhì zhì) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "devote the heart and direct the will." In use it means: Give your complete, undivided attention to the task at hand; focus is the multiplier that makes moderate ability produce extraordinary results. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Metal note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Monkey.
Literally: "devote the heart and direct the will."
The reading
Two students sat in the same room with the same teacher. One listened with everything. The other divided their attention between the lesson and the window. After a year, they looked like different levels of talent. They were the same level of talent. The difference was entirely in the listening.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Mencius 孟子, Gaozi Shang 告子上
Sits beside
Keep reading
Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Wealth, Work & Diligence, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Monkey, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 專心致志 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 專心致志 (zhuān xīn zhì zhì) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Mencius 孟子, Gaozi Shang 告子上. It is living Chinese heritage, given here with per-character pinyin and its source so you can trust the line, not a phrase invented in English.
How do you pronounce 專心致志?
In Mandarin it is zhuān xīn zhì zhì. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 專心致志 aloud in Mandarin.