| When learning Mandarin Chinese, students run into several 4 characters-based set phrases called 成语 chéngyǔ. These idiomatic expressions have a figurative, or sometimes literal, meaning, allude to a story or historical quote and are still commonly used in the written and spoken language today. If you really want to sound fluent in Chinese, nothing really beats the impact of using a Chinese chéngyǔ placed in its proper context with a native speaker. For example, the popular idiom “to dig a hole in the wall to steal light”.  凿壁偷光 záo bì tōu guāng 凿壁偷光 (záo bì tōu guāng) “to dig a hole (凿) in the wall (壁) to steal (偷) light (光)”. It refers to someone who has the spirit of perseverance in the face of adversity. Do you know the story behind this Chengyu? During the 漢 Han Dynasty, there was a student named 匡衡 Kuang Heng. His family was so poor that they could not afford a lamp nor light many candles, but these financial constraints never stopped the young boy for pursuing his passion for reading and studying. Being strongly motivated to pass the imperial exams selecting court officials, Kuang Heng endeavored to find a solution: One night he noticed some light seeping from a crack in the wall which separated his house from the neighbour’s one. Therefore, he dug a hole in the wall to make use of the neighbour’s light for reading. Thanks to the light coming through the wall Kuang Heng studied Confucian texts for years and prepared for the exams. Year by year, he passed each level, impressed the officials, and achieved his dream of becoming an imperial officer. Over the years, he held many prestigious titles till he finally became Chancellor. How and when to use this chéngyǔ? 现在人们一般用凿壁偷光来形容勤学苦读。(xiànzài rénmen yībān yòng záo bì tōu guāng lái xíngróng qínxué kǔ dú). Nowadays people use this chengyu to describe someone who studies or works very hard. # Our teachers # More than 10 years teaching experience Master Degree Certificate for teaching chinese as a foreign language   # About us # Founded in 2007 Chinese test and training center 200+ Chinese teachers 5000+ students  # Contact us# Name:fiona Phone number:021-52287809,13918358891 E-mail:info@mandarinmorning.com www.mandarinmorning.com If you are interested to join Mandarin Morning school or want more details about our services, scan the following QR code. ☟   Mandarin Morning Chinese test center attached to Confucius institute headquarters Authorized Test Center and Training Center for International Chinese Language Teacher Certificater 10 years+ ，200 teachers ，more 10000 students，200+companies  |
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