囊萤映雪 carrying fireflies in a bag and reflecting snow
Explanation
囊萤映雪，形容家境贫寒，勤奋苦读。这个成语出自南朝梁任昉的《为萧扬州荐士表》。
"Carrying fireflies in a bag and reflecting snow" describes the poverty and diligence in studying. The idiom comes from the "Letter to the Prefect of Yangzhou (for an Official)" by Ren Fang of the Southern Liang Dynasty.
Origin Story
晋代有个名叫车胤的读书人，他从小就勤奋好学，但是家里很穷，买不起灯油，夏天的时候他就捉许多萤火虫装在一个白布袋里，把袋子吊在书本上方，利用微弱的光线读书。后来，他通过刻苦学习，终于成为了博学多才的人。同时代的另一个名叫孙康的人，家里也很贫困，冬天没有钱买灯油，他就利用雪夜里映在窗户上的雪光来读书。后来，他通过刻苦学习，也成了一名优秀的学者。囊萤映雪，比喻家境贫寒，勤奋苦读。
In the Jin Dynasty, there was a scholar named Che Yin who was diligent and studious since he was a child, but his family was poor and he couldn't afford lamp oil. In the summer, he would catch many fireflies and put them in a white cloth bag, hanging the bag above his book to read with the faint light. Later, through hard work, he became a learned and talented man. Another man of the same era named Sun Kang, whose family was also poor, would use the light of the snow reflected on the window in the winter when there was no money to buy lamp oil to read. Later, through hard work, he also became an outstanding scholar. "Carrying fireflies in a bag and reflecting snow" describes the poverty and diligence in studying.
Usage
这个成语常用来形容一个人学习刻苦，即使环境恶劣，也坚持不懈。
This idiom is often used to describe a person's hard work in learning, even in adverse conditions.
Examples
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他为了学习刻苦学习，甚至到了囊萤映雪的地步。
tā wèile xuéxí kěkǔ xuéxí, shènzhì dào le náng yíng yìng xuě de dìbù.
He studied hard, even to the point of "carrying fireflies in a bag and reflecting snow."
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他学习刻苦，简直是囊萤映雪
tā xuéxí kěkǔ, jiǎnzhí shì náng yíng yìng xuě
He studied hard, almost like "carrying fireflies in a bag and reflecting snow."