Chinese idiom · 成语
不遗余力
Meaning
To spare no effort; to give one’s all.
Character by character
Origin and story
Historical diplomatic accountIn the Zhao Strategies section of Zhanguo Ce (戰國策), the king of Zhao considers giving Qin six cities after a devastating conflict. Yu Qing asks whether Qin withdrew from exhaustion or out of kindness. The king acknowledges that Qin had held back none of its strength and must have been exhausted.
Yu Qing then argues that voluntarily handing over what Qin could not obtain by force would strengthen the enemy against Zhao itself. The idiom occurs in the king's description of Qin's all-out attack. It means leaving no effort in reserve; although now often praise, its original setting shows that the effort can serve a hostile purpose.
Sources and further reading
In everyday life
她一直不遗余力地帮助新同事适应工作。
She has spared no effort in helping new colleagues settle into their work.
Emphasizes wholehearted effort; the surrounding action determines praise or blame.