無所不用其極

See also: 无所不用其极

Chinese

not have actually; place; (nominalization prefix) not necessary; don't; no need to
his; her; its
his; her; its; theirs; that; such; it (refers to something preceding it)
 
utmost; pole; extreme
utmost; pole; extreme; to reach the limit
 
trad. (無所不用其極) 無 所 不用 其 極
simp. (无所不用其极) 无 所 不用 其 极

Etymology

From the Great Learning (《大學》) in the Book of Rites:

湯之盤銘曰：「茍日新，日日新，又日新。」《康誥》曰：「作新民。」《詩》曰：「周雖舊邦，其命惟新。」是故君子無所不用其極。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]
汤之盘铭曰：「茍日新，日日新，又日新。」《康诰》曰：「作新民。」《诗》曰：「周虽旧邦，其命惟新。」是故君子无所不用其极。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]
From: The Book of Rites, c. 4th – 2nd century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Tāng zhī pán míng yuē: “Jì rìxīn, rì rìxīn, yòu rìxīn.” “Kānggào” yuē: “Zuò xīnmín.” “Shī” yuē: “Zhōu suī jiù bāng, qí mìng wéi xīn.” Shìgù jūnzǐ wú suǒ bùyòng qí jí. [Pinyin]
On the bathing tub of Tang, the following words were engraved: "If you can one day renovate yourself, do so from day to day. Yea, let there be daily renovation." In the Announcement to Kang (《康誥》), it is said, "To stir up the new people." In the Book of Poetry, it is said, "Although Zhou was an ancient state the ordinance which lighted on it was new." Therefore, the superior man in everything uses his utmost endeavors.

It has later become a derogatory term.

Pronunciation

Idiom

無所不用其極

  1. (usually disapproving) to resort to every conceivable means; to stop at nothing; to go to any length
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