一心一意
- Literal
- one heart, one mind
- Figurative
- Wholeheartedly and single-mindedly, devoting one's full attention and effort to something or someone.
Where does 一心一意 come from?
The phrase traces back to a note by Pei Songzhi on the “Records of the Three Kingdoms” (biography of Du Shu), quoting the “Dushi xinshu” with the line “推一心，任一意” (“to act with one purpose and one intention”): in a letter to his superior, Du Shu argues for acting on his own judgment with integrity rather than consulting on everything. From there, its structure of two parallel pairs (一心 “one heart” + 一意 “one intention”) drifted toward the sense of undivided, unwavering devotion. Today it is entirely everyday language for someone who throws themselves completely into a task or a person.
Source (出处): 《三国志·杜恕传》
How is 一心一意 used? Two examples
- 这几个月他一心一意准备考试，连手机都很少看。
These past months he's been preparing for the exam wholeheartedly; he barely even looks at his phone.
- 她辞掉工作，一心一意照顾生病的母亲。
She quit her job to look after her sick mother with complete devotion.
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