苦心孤詣 kǔ xīn gū yì

DEFINITIONS

  1. to make painstaking efforts (idiom); after much trouble
  2. to work hard at sth

CHARACTERS

苦 kǔ bitter; hardship, suffering
心 xīn heart; mind, intelligence; soul
孤 gū orphan, fatherless; solitary
詣 yì reach; achievement, accomplishment