旷日持久 Kuàng rì chí jiǔ protracted

Explanation

旷日持久的意思是长时间拖延，形容时间过得很长。

"Kuang ri chi jiu" means that something drags on for a very long time.

Origin Story

战国时期，燕国把有勇有谋的荣封为高阳君，让他带兵攻打赵国。赵王听说后便与平原君赵胜商量，准备割三座城池给齐国以换取齐国大将安平君田单做赵国的大将。赵国大将马服君赵奢不服，坚持要打一场旷日持久的战争，赵王不允。赵奢便力排众议，用计策让燕军久攻不下，最终迫使燕军退兵。这场战争旷日持久，赵国虽然损失惨重，但最终保住了自己的国土，也保住了赵王的面子。

zhàn guó shí qī, yān guó bǎ yǒu yǒng yǒu móu de róng fēng wéi gāo yáng jūn, ràng tā dài bīng gōng dǎ zhào guó. zhào wáng tīng shuō hòu biàn yǔ píng yuán jūn zhào shèng shāng liáng, zhǔn bèi gē sān zuò chéng chí gěi qí guó yǐ huàn qǔ qí guó dà jiàng ān píng jūn tián dān zuò zhào guó de dà jiàng. zhào guó dà jiàng mǎ fú jūn zhào shē bù fú, jiān chí yào dǎ yī chǎng kuàng rì chí jiǔ de zhàn zhēng, zhào wáng bù yǔn. zhào shē biàn lì pái zhòng yì, yòng jì cè ràng yān jūn jiǔ gōng bù xià, zuì zhōng pò shǐ yān jūn tuì bīng. zhè chǎng zhàn zhēng kuàng rì chí jiǔ, zhào guó suī rán sǔn shī cǎn zhòng, dàn zuì zhōng bǎo zhù le zì jǐ de guó tǔ, yě bǎo zhù le zhào wáng de miàn zi.

During the Warring States Period, the state of Yan appointed Rong, a courageous and resourceful general, as the Duke of Gaoyang, and ordered him to attack the state of Zhao. King Zhao, upon hearing this, consulted with the Duke of Pingyuan, Zhao Sheng, and planned to cede three cities to the state of Qi in exchange for the general of the state of Qi, the Duke of Anping, Tian Dan, to serve as a general for the state of Zhao. However, Ma Fu Jun Zhao She, a general of the state of Zhao, disagreed and insisted on waging a protracted war. King Zhao refused. Zhao She then went against the general opinion and used a strategy to make the Yan army unable to capture the city for a long time, eventually forcing the Yan army to retreat. This war lasted for a long time, and although the state of Zhao suffered heavy losses, they eventually defended their territory and saved face for King Zhao.

Usage

旷日持久这个成语通常用来形容时间过得很长，用来描述战争、谈判、工程等需要长时间才能完成的事情。

kuàng rì chí jiǔ zhè ge chéng yǔ tōng cháng yòng lái xíng róng shí jiān guò de hěn cháng, yòng lái miáo shuǐ zhàn zhēng, tán pán, gōng chéng děng xū yào cháng shí jiān cái néng wán chéng de shì qíng.

The idiom "Kuang ri chi jiu" is typically used to describe something that takes a very long time to complete, such as wars, negotiations, construction projects, etc.

Examples

  • 这场战争旷日持久，双方都损失惨重。

    zhè chǎng zhàn zhēng kuàng rì chí jiǔ, shuāng fāng dōu sǔn shī cǎn zhòng.

    This war has been long and drawn out, with heavy casualties on both sides.

  • 他办事效率低下，总是旷日持久，拖拖拉拉。

    tā bàn shì xiào lǜ dì xià, zǒng shì kuàng rì chí jiǔ, tuō tuō lā lā.

    He's inefficient and always delays everything.

Related Idioms

  • 长年累月

  • 日积月累

Opposite Idioms

  • 昙花一现

  • 转瞬即逝