分秒必爭 fēn miǎo bì zhēng

DEFINITIONS

  1. seize every minute and second (idiom); not a minute to lose
  2. every moment counts

CHARACTERS

分 fēn divide; small unit of time etc.
秒 miǎo beard of grain or corn; a second
必 bì surely, most certainly; must
爭 zhēng to dispute, fight, contend, strive