囊萤积雪 — “To study diligently and assiduously”

囊萤积雪 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to study diligently and assiduously”. Often under difficult conditions or in poverty, embodying the perseverance of ancient scholars. Literally, “bagging fireflies and accumulating snow”.

Frequency

囊萤积雪 Pronunciation and Pinyin

囊萤积雪 Character Breakdown

Stroke Order

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
囊	náng	22	bag, pouch, or sac
萤	yíng	11	firefly or fluorite
积	jī	10	accumulate, product
雪	xuě	11	snow

Example Sentence with 囊萤积雪

他虽然家境清贫，但凭借囊萤积雪的精神，最终考上了理想的大学。

Despite his humble family background, he ultimately got into his ideal university through his diligent and assiduous study, embodying the spirit of 'bagging fireflies and accumulating snow'.

Origin and Story of 囊萤积雪

During the Jin Dynasty, Che Yin was exceptionally diligent in his studies from a young age. As his family was poor and could not afford lamp oil for him to read at night, he came up with a resourceful solution. On summer evenings, he would catch fireflies, place them in a white gauze bag, and hang the bag above his books, using their faint light to read.

In the same dynasty, there was another scholar named Sun Kang who also came from a poor family. On snowy nights, he would read by the light reflected from the bright snow outside his window.

Both stories exemplify remarkable perseverance and dedication to learning despite challenging circumstances.