恪尽职守
How exactly is this used? Is it often used ironically? I ran across it in a short story by Diao Dou 蹲着.
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How is it used in the story you found it in? If you need help with understanding it in that context, you can certainly ask here. We haven't read that story, and have no way of knowing how it's being used there.– monalisaMay 29, 2022 at 17:50
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Again, we won't know if it's used ironically until you give us a context. Pretty much any expression can be used ironically.– monalisaMay 29, 2022 at 17:51
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Here is the context in which 恪尽职守 is used. 夏天的夜晚，为其他刑事犯罪提供方便时也兢兢业业，恪尽职守，这同样不必我多费口舌. I wonder if Diao Dou means "figure it out for yourself" but am not at all sure.– J MonahanMay 30, 2022 at 8:59
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In the context of the sentence, it sounds like what it's called a "backhanded compliment", when it ends with a sarcastic remark like 这同样不必我多费口舌– Wayne CheahMay 30, 2022 at 9:37
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2 Answers
The word-to-word translation is as the following: 恪(faithfully)尽(fulfill)职(duty)守(guard/defend).
It is used when someone is assigned a duty to protect/defend/guard someplace or something, usually a difficult or tiresome task, and acted faithfully in fulfilling the duty, regardless of the physical or mental challenges.
The persistence in carrying out one's duty requires durability, which is an important measurement of 蹲着 (stay in a squat position). It can be associated with 恪尽职守, such as describing a dog dutifully waiting for his master - 它恪尽职守,在門外動也不動的蹲着等候它的主人. Ironically, if the sentence is used to describe a person's action - 他恪尽职守,在門外蹲着等候XXX, then it is a "ridicule".
I wonder what Diao Dou says about it.
勤政为民，恪尽职守，兢兢业业。
For the people be: diligent, dutiful, assiduous.
Need more context really: it seems like someone is talking to somebody else who is maybe a policeman, but who also helps criminals.
A slight rewrite:
当你在夏天的夜晚为其他刑事犯罪提供方便时，
At the same time as you make things convenient for other offenders,
对待自己的工作也兢兢业业、恪尽职守，
you go about your own work, assiduously fulfilling your duty,
这同样不必我多费口舌。
that goes without saying.
Not an ironic use of 恪尽职守 I would hazard. But maybe the whole situation is ironic.
