犬马之劳 — “To offer one's humble and diligent services”
犬马之劳 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to offer one's humble and diligent services”. To serve faithfully and loyally (like a dog and a horse), often used to express devotion to a superior or cause. Literally, “The labor/services of a dog and a horse”.
犬马之劳 Pronunciation and Pinyin
犬马之劳 Character Breakdown
Stroke OrderExample Sentence with 犬马之劳
Origin and Story of 犬马之劳
During the 8th year of Taiping Xingguo (983 AD), Zhao Pu, advanced in age, was transferred to a less demanding role as a military governor and Grand Commandant. Emperor Taizong composed a farewell poem for him. Holding the poem, Zhao Pu wept, telling the Emperor, "The poem Your Majesty bestowed upon me should be carved into a stone tablet and buried with my old bones beneath the Yellow Springs."
Taizong was deeply moved. The next day, Taizong told his Prime Minister, "Zhao Pu is a meritorious official. We were once close companions, but now his hair is white and his teeth have fallen out. I should no longer burden him with important military and state affairs. I have chosen a good place for him to enjoy his retirement, and through the poem, I expressed my condolences and farewell. Zhao Pu wept in gratitude, and I too was saddened and shed tears."
The Prime Minister then informed Taizong, "Yesterday, Zhao Pu came to the Central Secretariat, holding Your Majesty's poem. He tearfully told me that with his remaining days few, he could not fully repay Your Majesty's kindness, but he wished to serve the nation like a dog and a horse in his next life. What I heard from Zhao Pu yesterday, combined with Your Majesty's benevolent intentions today, demonstrates a perfect ending for the relationship between a ruler and his subject, truly a win-win situation."
Idioms Related to 犬马之劳
Synonyms of 犬马之劳
Antonyms of 犬马之劳
More idioms starting with 犬
- quǎn犬bù不yè夜fèi吠dogs do not bark at night
- quǎn犬tù兔jù俱bì毙both parties perish in a lose-lose situation
- quǎn犬fèi吠zhī之dào盗a petty thief
- quǎn犬fèi吠zhī之jǐng警alarm of barking dogs
- quǎn犬yá牙jiāo交cuò错irregularly interlocked and complex
- quǎn犬yá牙chà差hù互unevenly interlocked like dog's teeth
- quǎn犬yá牙pán盘shí石deeply entrenched and stable structure
- quǎn犬yá牙xiāng相lín临interlocked like dog's teeth
- quǎn犬yá牙xiāng相zhì制interlocking mutual containment
- quǎn犬yá牙xiāng相jiē接interlocking like dog's teeth
- quǎn犬yá牙xiāng相cuò错intricate and complexly interwoven
- quǎn犬yá牙yīng鹰zhǎo爪ruthless and aggressive tactics
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Open the tool →Questions about 犬马之劳
What does 犬马之劳 mean?
犬马之劳 (quǎn mǎ zhī láo) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to offer one's humble and diligent services”.
How do you pronounce 犬马之劳?
犬马之劳 is pronounced quǎn mǎ zhī láo in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 犬马之劳 literally mean?
Literally, 犬马之劳 means “the labor/services of a dog and a horse”. It is used to mean “to offer one's humble and diligent services”.
Where does 犬马之劳 come from?
犬马之劳 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 犬马之劳?
愿象犬马那样为君主奔走效力。表示心甘情愿受人驱使，为人效劳。