一鼓作氣

Chinese

		one; single; a one; single; a; (before verbs) as soon as, once; (before a noun) entire (family, etc.)	convex; drum; to rouse convex; drum; to rouse; to beat	to regard as; to take (someone) for; to do to regard as; to take (someone) for; to do; to make	gas; air; smell gas; air; smell; weather; vital breath; to make someone angry; to get angry; to be enraged
trad. (一鼓作氣)		一	鼓	作	氣
simp. (一鼓作气)		一	鼓	作	气

Etymology

From Zuo Zhuan, regrading Cao Gui's (曹劌) tactics in the Battle of Changshao (《左傳·莊公十年》):

公與之乘。戰於長勺。公將鼓之。劌曰：『未可。』齊人三鼓，劌曰：『可矣。』齊師敗績。……既克，公問其故。對曰：『夫戰，勇氣也，一鼓作氣，再而衰，三而竭。彼竭我盈，故克之。…… [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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公与之乘。战于长勺。公将鼓之。刿曰：『未可。』齐人三鼓，刿曰：『可矣。』齐师败绩。……既克，公问其故。对曰：『夫战，勇气也，一鼓作气，再而衰，三而竭。彼竭我盈，故克之。…… [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4^th century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Gōng yǔ zhī chéng. Zhàn yú Chángsháo. Gōng jiāng gǔ zhī. Guì yuē: ‘Wèikě.’ Qí rén sān gǔ, Guì yuē: ‘Kě yǐ.’ Qí shī bàijì....... Jì kè, Gōng wèn qí gù. Duì yuē: ‘Fú zhàn, yǒngqì yě, yīgǔ zuò qì, zài ér shuāi, sān ér jié. Bǐ jié wǒ yíng, gù kè zhī....... [Pinyin]

The duke took him with him in his chariot. The battle was fought in Changshao. The duke was about to order the drums to beat an advance, when Gui said, "Not yet;" and after the men of Qi had advanced three times with their drums beating, he said, "Now is the time." The army of Qi received a severe defeat; … When the victoiy had been secured, the duke asked Gui the reasons of what he had done. "In fighting," was the reply, "all depends on the courageous spirit. When the drums first beat, that excites the spirit. A second advance occasions a diminution of the spirit; and with a third, it is exhausted. With our spirit at the highest pitch we fell on them with their spirit exhausted; and so we conquered them. …

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): yīgǔzuòqì

  (Zhuyin): ㄧ ㄍㄨˇ ㄗㄨㄛˋ ㄑㄧˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): jat¹ gu² zok³ hei³

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: yīgǔzuòqì [Phonetic: yìgǔzuòqì]
    • Zhuyin: ㄧ ㄍㄨˇ ㄗㄨㄛˋ ㄑㄧˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: yigǔzuòcì
    • Wade–Giles: i¹-ku³-tso⁴-chʻi⁴
    • Yale: yī-gǔ-dzwò-chì
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: iguutzuohchih
    • Palladius: игуцзоци (iguczoci)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ ku²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡su̯ɔ⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕʰi⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: jat¹ gu² zok³ hei³
    • Yale: yāt gú jok hei
    • Cantonese Pinyin: jat⁷ gu² dzok⁸ hei³
    • Guangdong Romanization: yed¹ gu² zog³ héi³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /jɐt̚⁵ kuː³⁵ t͡sɔːk̚³ hei̯³³/

Idiom

一鼓作氣

1. (literary) to accomplish in one vigorous effort

Related terms

• 再衰三竭