以求一逞 yǐ qiú yī chěng to achieve one's goal by any means

Explanation

逞：满足，称心如意。指为了达到某种目的，不择手段。含有贬义。

Chěng: to satisfy, to fulfill one's desires. It means to use any means necessary to achieve a certain goal. It has a negative connotation.

Origin Story

话说唐朝时期，有个叫李白的诗人，他胸怀大志，渴望在仕途上有所作为。一次，他听说朝廷要选拔一位能写出绝妙好诗的官员，李白便兴冲冲地赶去参加考试。然而，考试题目却难倒了他，绞尽脑汁也写不出符合要求的好诗。这时，他心里起了邪念，心想：为了达到自己的目的，不择手段也在所不惜。于是，他偷偷地把一位有名诗人的诗作抄了下来，冒充自己所作，并暗中贿赂主考官，企图以求一逞。结果，主考官识破了他的阴谋，将他驱逐出考场，并揭露了他的卑劣行径。李白因为此事名声扫地，再也没有机会在朝廷为官。他后悔莫及，最终只能落得个穷困潦倒的下场。

huà shuō táng cháo shí qī, yǒu gè jiào lǐ bái de shī rén, tā xiōng huái dà zhì, kěwàng zài shì tú shang yǒu suǒ zuòwéi. yī cì, tā tīng shuō cháo tíng yào xuǎnbá yī wèi néng xiě chū jué miào hǎo shī de guān yuán, lǐ bái biàn xìng chōng chōng de gǎn qù cān jiā kǎoshì. rán'ér, kǎoshì tímù què nándǎo le tā, jiǎo jìn nǎo zhī yě xiě bù chū fúhé yāoqiú de hǎo shī. zhè shí, tā xīn lǐ qǐ le xié niàn, xiǎng xiàng: wèile dá dào zìjǐ de mùdì, bù zé shǒuduàn yě zài suǒ bù xī. yúshì, tā tōutōu de bǎ yī wèi yǒumíng shī rén de shī zuò chāo le xià lái, mào chōng zìjǐ suǒ zuò, bìng àn zhōng huìlù zhǔ kǎoguān, qǐtú yǐ qiú yī chěng. jiéguǒ, zhǔ kǎoguān shí pò le tā de yīnmóu, jiāng tā qūzhú chū kǎochǎng, bìng jiēlù le tā de bēiliè xíngjìng. lǐ bái yīnwèi cǐshì míngshēng sǎo dì, zài yě méiyǒu jīhuì zài cháo tíng wèi guān. tā hòu huǐ mò jí, zuìzhōng zhǐ néng luò de gè qióng kùn liáodǎo de xià chǎng.

In ancient China, there was an ambitious man named Li Bai. One day, he heard of an important competition where the best poet would be appointed as a court official. Li Bai desperately wanted to win, but he was too nervous and could not write a suitable poem. In his desperate attempt to achieve his goal, he decided to copy a poem from a famous poet and submit it. He bribed a corrupt official who didn't immediately expose the fraud. However, Li Bai was soon discovered. His reputation was ruined, and his chances for a court career were gone. He lived in poverty and regret from then on.

Usage

通常作谓语或状语，形容为了达到目的而不择手段的行为。

tōngcháng zuò wèiyǔ huò zhuàngyǔ, xiángróng wèile dádào mùdì ér bù zé shǒuduàn de xíngwéi

It's usually used as a predicate or adverbial modifier to describe an action where someone uses all means to achieve a goal.

Examples

• 他为了个人利益不择手段，真是为了以求一逞！

  tā wèile gèrén lìyì bùzé shǒuduàn, zhēnshi wèile yǐ qiú yī chěng!

  He did not hesitate to use any means to achieve his personal interests, just to achieve his goal!

• 他考试作弊，只是为了以求一逞，并非真正热爱学习。

  tā kǎoshì zuòbì, zhǐshì wèile yǐ qiú yī chěng, bìngfēi zhēnzhèng rè'ài xuéxí

  He cheated on the exam just to pass, not because he really loves to learn.

Related Idioms

• 不择手段

• 机关算尽

Opposite Idioms

• 光明正大

• 堂堂正正