Okay, let's break down the translation for "争分夺秒" (zhēng fēn duó miǎo).
"Literal Translation:"
争 (zhēng): Struggle for, compete for, fight for
分 (fēn): Minute, fraction of time
夺 (duó): Seize, snatch away, take
秒 (miǎo): Second, fraction of time
So, a literal translation would be something like "Struggle for every minute and snatch away every second."
"Meaning:"
This idiom means to make the most of every minute and second, to use time very efficiently and urgently, often because time is limited or very precious. It emphasizes the importance of speed and efficiency in every small unit of time.
"English Equivalents:"
There isn't one single perfect equivalent, but here are several options depending on the nuance you want to convey:
1. "Make every minute count:" This is a very common and natural-sounding equivalent that captures the essence of valuing every unit of time.
2. "Use time effectively/efficiently:" This focuses on the method – getting the most output for the time input.
3. "Hurry up / Act quickly:" These emphasize the speed aspect, especially when urgency is involved.
4. "Grasp every opportunity:" This can be used when the context is about seizing
“争分夺秒”，字面意思是不放过一分一秒（seize every minute and second），形容对时间抓得很紧，充分利用时间。可以翻译为“make full use of every minute; work against the clock。”
例句：
他们正在争分夺秒工作，设法把人们从瓦砾中活着救出来。
They're working against time to try and get people out of the rubble alive.
潮水开始上涨，应急部门正在争分夺秒地工作着。
The emergency services were working against the clock as the tide began to rise.
医生们争分夺秒地抢救他的生命。
Doctors raced against the clock to save his life.
Editor: Jade
来源：chinadaily.com.cn