We are committed to providing free Chinese study materials. This series focuses on idioms and proverbs, rich in meaning and widely applicable. Today’s idiom is 「鑿壁偷光」, with its explanation below.
Today’s spotlight is on the Chinese idiom 「鑿壁偷光」. You’ll find its explanation and usage below.
It originally referred to the Western Han Dynasty where Kuang Heng drilled a hole in the wall to use his neighbor’s candlelight to read. Later it was used to describe people who studied hard despite being poor.
The Mandarin pronunciation of this idiom is :
záo bì tōu guāng
while its Cantonese pinyin is :
jok6 bik1 tau1 gwong1
There are a countless number of Chinese idioms, each with unique meanings and applications. We’ve provided these resources to help guide you as you dive deeper into learning Chinese.
