三更燈火五更雞 [－－灯－－－鸡]

Jyutping saam1 gang1 dang1 fo2 ng5 gaang1 gai1
Pinyin sān gēng dēng huǒ wǔ gēng jī

Definitions (Wiktionary)
  1. phrase, idiomatic
    to burn one's candle at both ends
    • 就是這樣的一道檻，讓眾多的學子“三更燈火五更雞”，讓眾多的學校加課補課取消節假日。
      就是这样的一道槛，让众多的学子“三更灯火五更鸡”，让众多的学校加课补课取消节假日。
      jiù shì zhè yàng de yī dào kǎn ， ràng zhòng duō de xué zǐ “ sān gēng dēng huǒ wǔ gēng jī ” ， ràng zhòng duō de xué xiào jiā kè bǔ kè qǔ xiāo jié jià rì ．
      It's just this kind of threshold that causes many students to study late into the night, only to get up and go to class the next morning. It also causes many schools to add extra classes, including make-up classes, and to cancel holidays and days off.
  2. phrase, idiomatic
    to burn the midnight oil, only to get up at the crack of dawn
  3. phrase, idiomatic
    to work long hours
Examples (Wiktionary)
  1. Mandarin
    就是这样的一道槛，让众多的学子“三更灯火五更鸡”，让众多的学校加课补课取消节假日。
    就是這樣的一道檻，讓眾多的學子“三更燈火五更雞”，讓眾多的學校加課補課取消節假日。
    jiù shì zhè yàng de yī dào kǎn ， ràng zhòng duō de xué zǐ “ sān gēng dēng huǒ wǔ gēng jī ” ， ràng zhòng duō de xué xiào jiā kè bǔ kè qǔ xiāo jié jià rì ．
    • It's just this kind of threshold that causes many students to study late into the night, only to get up and go to class the next morning. It also causes many schools to add extra classes, including make-up classes, and to cancel holidays and days off.