苦心孤诣 kǔ xīn gū yì

DEFINITIONS

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

CHARACTERS

苦 kǔ
HSK 4
bitter; hardship, suffering
心 xīn
HSK 3
heart; mind, intelligence; soul
孤 gū
HSK 6
orphan, fatherless; solitary
诣 yì reach; achievement, accomplishment