只争朝夕 Seize the day
Explanation
“只争朝夕”指抓紧时间，力争在最短的时间内达到目的。强调时间紧迫，要珍惜时间，奋发图强。
The idiom "zhǐ zhēng zhāo xī" means to seize the day and strive to achieve the goal in the shortest possible time. It emphasizes the urgency of time and the need to cherish it and strive for excellence.
Origin Story
话说唐朝时期，有一位名叫李白的诗人，他渴望在诗歌创作上取得巨大的成就。他深知时间宝贵，所以他总是只争朝夕，废寝忘食地创作诗歌。他常常在清晨就开始写作，一直写到深夜，即使是休息的时候，他的脑海里也充满了诗句的灵感。他这种勤奋刻苦的精神，最终使他成为了唐朝最伟大的诗人之一，他的诗歌流传至今，被人们所传颂。
It is said that during the Tang Dynasty, there was a poet named Li Bai who longed for great achievements in poetry creation. He knew that time was precious, so he always seized the day and night, working tirelessly on his poems. He often began writing at dawn and continued until late at night, and even during his rest, his mind was filled with poetic inspiration. This diligent and hardworking spirit ultimately made him one of the greatest poets of the Tang Dynasty, his poems passed down to this day and celebrated by people.
Usage
形容时间紧迫，要抓紧时间。常用作谓语、定语。
To describe the urgency of time, urging one to seize the day. Commonly used as a predicate or attributive.
Examples
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时间紧迫，我们必须只争朝夕，完成任务。
shíjiān jǐnpò, wǒmen bìxū zhǐ zhēng zhāo xī, wánchéng rènwu
Time is pressing, we must seize the day and accomplish the task.
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青年人要只争朝夕，努力学习，报效祖国。
qīngnián rén yào zhǐ zhēng zhāo xī, nǔlì xuéxí, bàoxiào zǔguó
Young people should seize the day and work hard to serve their country.