Chinese idiom · 成语
挥汗如雨
Meaning
To sweat profusely, as from heat or exertion.
Character by character
Origin and story
literaryThe Strategies of the Warring States (战国策), in the section where Su Qin urges the king of Qi to join an alliance, presents a vivid picture of the capital Linzi. Carriages crowd together and people rub shoulders; clothing could form curtains and raised sleeves a canopy. Even the sweat people scatter could become rain. This extravagant description supports an argument about Qi's population and resources.
That passage uses 挥汗成雨, rather than the now-familiar 挥汗如雨. The related modern expression focuses on the abundant perspiration itself: someone sweats as though it were raining, usually because of heat or strenuous work.
Sources and further reading
In everyday life
搬完这些箱子，我们已经挥汗如雨了。
By the time we finished moving these boxes, we were drenched in sweat.
Describes profuse sweating, often from exertion or hot weather.