# 焚膏继晷

fén gāo jì guǐ

Work or study late into the night

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Burn oil to continue the daylight

**Traditional Chinese:** 焚膏繼晷

**Register:** Positive · literary

[Effort & growth](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/effort)

## When to use it

Describe sustained work beyond normal daylight hours.

Literary and admiring, but not an endorsement of chronic exhaustion.

## Understanding the expression

Daylight provides a natural working period, and lamp oil extends that period into darkness. The expression describes intense study or labor continuing late into the night. It belongs naturally to accounts of scholarship or difficult creative work. Modern electric lighting preserves the meaning without the literal oil. The praise concerns dedication, but rest remains necessary; an occasional deadline does not make permanent sleep loss an ideal model of productive effort.

## Examples

他焚膏继晷地整理史料。

### Traditional Chinese

他焚膏繼晷地整理史料。

tā fén gāo jì guǐ dì zhěng lǐ shǐ liào 。

He worked late into the night organizing historical materials.

备考时她焚膏继晷，终于完成复习。

### Traditional Chinese

備考時她焚膏繼晷，終於完成複習。

bèi kǎo shí tā fén gāo jì guǐ ， zhōng yú wán chéng fù xí 。

She studied late to finish exam revision.

团队焚膏继晷地准备展览。

### Traditional Chinese

團隊焚膏繼晷地準備展覽。

tuán duì fén gāo jì guǐ dì zhǔn bèi zhǎn lǎn 。

The team worked through late nights preparing the exhibition.

不必长期焚膏继晷，合理计划更重要。

### Traditional Chinese

不必長期焚膏繼晷，合理計劃更重要。

bú bì cháng qī fén gāo jì guǐ ， hé lǐ jì huà gèng zhòng yào 。

Good planning matters more than constantly working late.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 6, 2026.

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E7%84%9A%E8%86%8F%E7%B9%BC%E6%99%B7)

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=511&webMd=1&la=0)

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