不遗余力bù yí yú lìto spare no pains or effort (idiom); to do one's utmost

1. 1.

   to spare no pains or effort (idiom); to do one's utmostidiom

Figurative meaning

To spare no pains or effort; to do one's utmost.

Literal meaning

Not leave remaining strength.

• 不not
• 遗to leave behind
• 余remaining
• 力strength

The story

When Qin attacked us, it spared no remaining strength; it must have returned only because it was exhausted.

不遗余力 often appears after 为 or 对, as in 为这件事不遗余力, to stress giving every effort to a goal.

1. HSK 3

   为了帮助同学，他不遗余力。

   Wèile bāngzhù tóngxué, tā bù yí yú lì.

   To help his classmates, he spared no pains or effort.

2. HSK 4

   整个团队不遗余力地完成了这个项目。

   Zhěnggè tuánduì bù yí yú lì de wánchéng le zhège xiàngmù.

   The whole team did its utmost and finished this project.

1. 
   Speaker A:

   比赛赢了，你们怎么练的？

   Bǐsài yíng le, nǐmen zěnme liàn de?

   You won the match; how did you train?

2. 
   Speaker B:

   每天都练，大家都是不遗余力。

   Měi tiān dōu liàn, dàjiā dōu shì bù yí yú lì.

   We practiced every day; everyone spared no effort.

3. 
   Speaker A:

   难怪进步这么快。

   Nánguài jìnbù zhème kuài.

   No wonder you improved so fast.

4. 
   Speaker B:

   是啊，谁都不想留下遗憾。

   Shì a, shéi dōu bù xiǎng liú xià yíhàn.

   Yeah, nobody wanted any regrets left.

1. 1.What does 不遗余力 mean?

   ATo spare no pains or effort; to do one's utmostBIn sequence, step by stepCIt is self-evident
2. 2.Which sentence uses 不遗余力 correctly?

   A她为这次演出不遗余力地准备。B米饭不遗余力地煮熟了。C今天不遗余力地下雨。
3. 3.Which idiom fits best? 为了救那只猫，消防员____。 (To save that cat, the firefighters spared no effort.)

   A不遗余力B循序渐进C不言而喻

• Free HSK 3 level testSee which HSK 3.0 level your vocabulary matches.
• Not on the HSK 3.0 syllabus word listEvery word at this level, with examples.
• HSK 3.0 guideHow the nine levels and three bands work.

Related idioms

• 名不虚传míng bù xū chuán(idiom) to live up to one's famous name; its reputation is well deservedNot on the HSK 3.0 syllabus
• 坚持不懈jiān chí bù xiè(idiom) to persevere unremittingly; to keep going until the endNot on the HSK 3.0 syllabus
• 屡见不鲜lǚ jiàn bù xiāna common occurrence (idiom)Not on the HSK 3.0 syllabus
• 心有余悸xīn yǒu yú jìto have lingering fearsNot on the HSK 3.0 syllabus
• 不可思议bù kě sī yìinconceivable; unimaginable; unfathomableHSK 7–9
• 不知不觉bù zhī bù jué(idiom) unconsciously; unwittinglyHSK 7–9

Browse every entry in the Chinese idioms dictionary.