惨淡经营 Cǎn dàn jīng yíng to manage with great difficulty; to operate under severe conditions

Explanation

惨淡经营指的是在艰苦的环境中，费尽心思，辛辛苦苦地经营和筹划。它强调的是一种在逆境中坚持不懈，努力奋斗的精神。

Cǎn dàn jīng yíng refers to painstakingly managing and planning in a difficult environment. It emphasizes the spirit of perseverance and struggle in adversity.

Origin Story

唐朝时期，著名的画家曹霸接到皇上的命令，要为皇室的御马玉花骢作画。曹霸深知这匹马的重要性，不敢怠慢。他日夜揣摩，仔细观察玉花骢的形态、神韵，甚至观察它每一个细微的动作和眼神。为了画出这匹马的神韵，他常常废寝忘食，甚至忘记了时间。经过长时间的精心构思和反复修改，他终于完成了这幅画。这幅画栩栩如生，将玉花骢的威风凛凛、神采奕奕展现得淋漓尽致，令皇上龙颜大悦。曹霸的“惨淡经营”，最终成就了一幅传世名作。

táng cháo shíqī, zhùmíng de huàjiā cáo bà jiēdào huángshàng de mìnglìng, yào wèi huángshì de yù mǎ yù huā cōng zuò huà。 cáo bà shēnzhī zhè pǐ mǎ de zhòngyào xìng, bù gǎn dài màn。 tā rì yè chuáimó, zǐxì guānchá yù huā cōng de xíngtài, shényùn, shènzhì guānchá tā měi yīgè xìwēi de dòngzuò hé yǎnshén。 wèile huà chū zhè pǐ mǎ de shényùn, tā chángcháng fèi qǐn wàngshí, shènzhì wàngjì le shíjiān。 jīngguò chángshíjiān de jīngxīn gòusī hé fǎnfù xiūgǎi, tā zhōngyú wánchéng le zhè fú huà。 zhè fú huà xǔ xǔ shēngshēng, jiāng yù huā cōng de wēifēng lǐnlǐn, shéncǎi yìyì zhǎnxiàn de línlí jìnzhì, lìng huángshàng lóngyán dà yuè。 cáo bà de “cǎn dàn jīng yíng”, zuìzhōng chéngjiù le yī fú chuánshì míngzuò。

During the Tang Dynasty, the famous painter Cao Ba received an imperial order to paint a portrait of the imperial steed, Yuhua Cong. Cao Ba knew the importance of this horse and dared not be negligent. He spent day and night pondering and carefully observing the shape and demeanor of Yuhua Cong, even observing its every minute movement and gaze. In order to capture the spirit of the horse, he often neglected his sleep and meals, even forgetting the time. After a long period of careful design and repeated revisions, he finally completed the painting. The painting was lifelike, showing Yuhua Cong's majestic and spirited nature vividly, which greatly pleased the emperor. Cao Ba's "cǎn dàn jīng yíng" ultimately produced a masterpiece that has been passed down through generations.

Usage

惨淡经营常用于形容在艰苦的环境中，努力奋斗，辛辛苦苦地进行某种事业或工作。

cǎn dàn jīng yíng cháng yòng yú xíngróng zài jiānkǔ de huánjìng zhōng, nǔlì fèndòu, xīn xīn kǔ kǔ de jìnxíng mǒu zhǒng shìyè huò gōngzuò。

Cǎn dàn jīng yíng is often used to describe struggling hard and working painstakingly in a difficult environment to achieve something or carry out a task.

Examples

• 他十年如一日地潜心研究，终于取得了令人瞩目的成就，这真是惨淡经营的最好体现。

  tā shí nián rú yī rì de qián xīn yánjiū, zhōngyú qǔdé le lìng rén zhǔmù de chéngjiù, zhè zhēnshi cǎn dàn jīng yíng de zuì hǎo tiǎnxiàn。

  His ten years of dedicated research have finally yielded remarkable achievements, which is the best embodiment of hard work and perseverance.

• 创业初期，公司面临资金短缺、人才流失等问题，但他依然惨淡经营，坚持不懈。

  chuàngyè chūqī, gōngsī miàn lín zījīn duǎnquē, réncái liúshī děng wèntí, dàn tā yīrán cǎn dàn jīng yíng, jiānchí bù xiè。

  In the early days of the company, it was faced with problems such as shortage of funds and loss of talent, but he still persevered with his work.

• 在荒凉的沙漠中，他们惨淡经营，建立起了一个绿洲。

  zài huāngliáng de shāmò zhōng, tāmen cǎn dàn jīng yíng, jiànlì qǐ le yīgè lǜzhōu。

  In the desolate desert, they have managed to create an oasis through hard work and perseverance.

Related Idioms

• 苦心经营

• 呕心沥血

Opposite Idioms

• 敷衍了事

• 轻而易举