# 夙兴夜寐

sù xīng yè mèi

Rise early and sleep late through diligence

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Get up early and sleep at night late

**Traditional Chinese:** 夙興夜寐

**Register:** Formal · literary

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

## When to use it

Describe intense sustained work or study.

Do not romanticize chronic lack of sleep.

## Understanding the expression

Early rising and late sleeping stretch the working day at both ends. The expression describes someone devoting considerable time to farming, study, care, or another demanding task. It usually praises diligence, though context can reveal hardship rather than choice. A busy schedule does not by itself prove effective work. The description is about effort and time invested; health, rest, and the actual quality of results remain separate considerations.

## Examples

农忙时，她夙兴夜寐。

### Traditional Chinese

農忙時，她夙興夜寐。

nóng máng shí ， tā sù xīng yè mèi 。

During the busy farming season, she rose early and slept late.

他夙兴夜寐地准备考试。

### Traditional Chinese

他夙興夜寐地準備考試。

tā sù xīng yè mèi dì zhǔn bèi kǎo shì 。

He studied for the exam from early morning until late at night.

父母夙兴夜寐经营小店。

### Traditional Chinese

父母夙興夜寐經營小店。

fù mǔ sù xīng yè mèi jīng yíng xiǎo diàn 。

His parents worked long days running the small shop.

连续夙兴夜寐后，他需要休息。

### Traditional Chinese

連續夙興夜寐後，他需要休息。

lián xù sù xīng yè mèi hòu ， tā xū yào xiū xi 。

After many long days, he needed rest.

## 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=%E5%A4%99%E8%88%88%E5%A4%9C%E5%AF%90)

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=795&webMd=1&la=0)

## Keep exploring

- [夙夜匪懈 sù yè fěi xiè Work diligently without letting up ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/su-ye-fei-xie)

- [所向披靡 suǒ xiàng pī mǐ Win decisively wherever one goes ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/suo-xiang-pi-mi)

- [谈何容易 tán hé róng yì Much harder to do than to say ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/tan-he-rong-yi)

- [探囊取物 tàn náng qǔ wù Do something with great ease ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/tan-nang-qu-wu)

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