彫ちょう心しん鏤る骨こつ

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', intransitive verb

painstaking literary polishing; laborious work

A yojijukugo describing the act of refining a piece of writing with extreme care and effort, as if carving into one's heart and bones. Rare and literary; not used in everyday conversation.

• 彼かれは彫ちょう心しん鏤る骨こつの末すえに、ようやく小しょう説せつを完かん成せいさせた。

  After painstaking effort, he finally completed his novel.

• この詩しには作さく者しゃの彫ちょう心しん鏤る骨こつの跡あとが見みられる。

  This poem shows traces of the author's meticulous polishing.