三更燈火五更雞

Chinese

third watch; midnight lights the five watches of the night; fifth watch fowl; chicken
trad. (三更燈火五更雞) 三更 燈火 五更
simp. (三更灯火五更鸡) 三更 灯火 五更
Literally: “Third watch with lamp light and fifth watch as the rooster crows”.

Etymology

From the Tang poem “An Exhortation to Learning” (勸學):

三更燈火五更雞正是男兒讀書黑髮不知白首讀書 [MSC, trad.][▼ expand/hide]
三更灯火五更鸡正是男儿读书黑发不知白首读书 [MSC, simp.]
From: Tang Dynasty, Yan Zhenqing, “An Exhortation to Learning” (勸學)
Sāngēng dēnghuǒ wǔgēng jī, zhèngshì nán'ér dúshū shí. Hēifà bùzhī qín xué zǎo, báishǒu fāng huǐ dúshū chí. [Pinyin]
Third watch (~ 11 p.m.) with lamp light and fifth watch (~ 5 a.m.) as the rooster crows,
Are the best time for a boy to study.
If one does not study hard while his hairs are still dark,
he will regret for studying late when his hairs turn grey.

Pronunciation


Idiom

三更燈火五更雞

  1. to burn the midnight oil, only to get up at the crack of dawn
  2. to work long hours
  3. to burn one's candle at both ends
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