头悬梁，锥刺股 tóu xuán liáng ， zhuī cì gǔ

DEFINITIONS

  1. lit. with his head attached to a beam and stabbing his thigh with an awl (idiom)
  2. fig. to study assiduously and tirelessly

CHARACTERS

头 tóu
HSK 3
head; top; chief, first; boss
悬 xuán
HSK 6
hang, suspend, hoist; be hung
梁 liáng
HSK 6
bridge; beam; rafters; surname
锥 zhuī gimlet, awl, drill, auger; bore
刺 cì
HSK 5
stab; prick, irritate; prod
股 gǔ
HSK 5
thighs, haunches, rump; share