# 夜以继日

yè yǐ jì rì

Work continuously through day and night

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Use the night to continue the day

**Traditional Chinese:** 夜以繼日

**Register:** Intense · general

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

## When to use it

Describe intense sustained effort.

Often overwork; do not treat it as always desirable.

## Understanding the expression

The working day does not end when darkness arrives; night carries it onward. Modern use describes prolonged intense activity during a deadline, emergency, or major task. It is usually admiring or dramatic, but also implies strain. The phrase need not be a literal record of working every minute. Even so, real projects benefit from rest and shared shifts, because exhaustion can damage judgment and undo the progress that long hours were meant to secure.

## Examples

救援人员夜以继日地工作。

### Traditional Chinese

救援人員夜以繼日地工作。

jiù yuán rén yuán yè yǐ jì rì dì gōng zuò 。

Rescuers work day and night.

她夜以继日地赶论文。

### Traditional Chinese

她夜以繼日地趕論文。

tā yè yǐ jì rì dì gǎn lùn wén 。

She works continuously to finish the paper.

工厂夜以继日地生产物资。

### Traditional Chinese

工廠夜以繼日地生產物資。

gōng chǎng yè yǐ jì rì dì shēng chǎn wù zī 。

The factory produces supplies around the clock.

别总夜以继日，要安排休息。

### Traditional Chinese

別總夜以繼日，要安排休息。

bié zǒng yè yǐ jì rì ， yào ān pái xiū xi 。

Do not work endlessly; make time to 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%9C%E4%BB%A5%E7%B9%BC%E6%97%A5)

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=312&webMd=1&la=0)

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