千方百计qiān fāng bǎi jìlit. thousand ways, a hundred plans (idiom); by every possible means

1. 1.

   lit. thousand ways, a hundred plans (idiom); by every possible meansidiom

Figurative meaning

By every possible means.

Literal meaning

Thousand ways, a hundred plans.

• 千thousand
• 方method
• 百hundred
• 计to plan

No attested origin story

千方百计 usually comes before a verb phrase, sometimes with 地, to show great effort toward a goal.

1. HSK 3

   他千方百计地帮助我们。

   Tā qiān fāng bǎi jì de bāngzhù wǒmen.

   He did everything he could to help us.

2. HSK 4

   她千方百计想找到一份好工作。

   Tā qiān fāng bǎi jì xiǎng zhǎodào yí fèn hǎo gōngzuò.

   She tried every possible way to find a good job.

3. HSK 3

   老师千方百计解决这个问题。

   Lǎoshī qiān fāng bǎi jì jiějué zhège wèntí.

   The teacher tried every means to solve this problem.

1. 
   Speaker A:

   听说你终于买到票了？

   Tīngshuō nǐ zhōngyú mǎidào piào le?

   I heard you finally got a ticket?

2. 
   Speaker B:

   是啊，我千方百计才买到的。

   Shì a, wǒ qiān fāng bǎi jì cái mǎidào de.

   Yes, I tried every possible way to get it.

3. 
   Speaker A:

   太好了！你一定很开心。

   Tài hǎo le! Nǐ yídìng hěn kāixīn.

   Great! You must be really happy.

4. 
   Speaker B:

   当然，为了这个我准备了很久。

   Dāngrán, wèile zhège wǒ zhǔnbèi le hěn jiǔ.

   Of course. I prepared for a long time for this.

1. 1.What does 千方百计 mean?

   ABy every possible meansBOnce a yearCWithout any effort
2. 2.Which sentence uses 千方百计 correctly?

   A他千方百计地帮助我们。B这是千方百计的节日。C我千方百计很高兴。
3. 3.Which word fits best? 老师____解决这个问题。 (The teacher tried every means to solve this problem.)

   A千方百计B一年一度C因地制宜

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Related idioms

• 千家万户qiān jiā wàn hùevery family (idiom)HSK 6
• 成千上万chéng qiān shàng wàn(fig.) untold numbers; innumerable; countlessHSK 6
• 一举两得yì jǔ liǎng détwo birds with one stoneHSK 7–9
• 一如既往yì rú jì wǎng(idiom) just as in the past; as before; continuing as alwaysHSK 7–9
• 一目了然yí mù liǎo ránobvious at a glance (idiom)HSK 7–9
• 不可思议bù kě sī yìinconceivable; unimaginable; unfathomableHSK 7–9

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